Do You Still Think Of Me?
by flipstahhz
Summary: [a slow sorato] It concerns how their hearts can never 'let go' of each other not a story when they get together quickly. It's also includes their dreams, lust, hope, obsession and thoughts of life...beginning from their childhood to their adulthood
1. Prologue

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_Written: 13.o1.o5_

_Last Edited: 12.12.o5_

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Digimon, but by now…you should know that I **do **own this story. Please don't steal these ideas because they are precious to me, for I have put my own saying and feeling to every word I write in this chapter…and some of the events in these stories are based on my life. _© Flipstahhz_

**(a/n)**

**I'm back with a new story! This is a drama, and will be written the "Officially Missing You" style. But it won't contain all the twists and surprises, as in that story. It is a story and deals with the concepts of _Love_** **from the points of view of both Sora Takenouchi and Yamato Ishida. Yes, it's a sorato…and it's about time I wrote one, since I haven't written one for 1 year. But it isn't your typical sorato…and it takes a "long" while before they even get together. I hope you like it so far…**

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**Do You Still Think of Me?**

Prologue

By _Flipstahhz_

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**Love**.

_What is Love?_

Since everyone asks the same clichéd question, you're probably sick of hearing it by now as it tumbles repeatedly in that head of yours. But the truth is…that _this _question is in everyone's mind no matter how much they try to deny it. Many people describe Love and Belonging as the best feeling. Many people define Love as being with that special someone. Many people explain Love as their family, friends, girlfriend and even their life…And _some _foolish people play with the word "Love" as the definition to bed someone.

All these meanings to love are linked together…because everyone always describes the ups and great characteristics of this tremendous emotion. There are faults and flaws to everything. And there is **definitely** a fault to the whole perspective of 'Love.'

People _always_ mention the positive feeling…but _never_ the **_lows _**and **_downs _**of this '_so-called'_ Love. In reality, love is misunderstood. They never bother to explain the irony, the pain of being heart broken and the bitterness of sadness. They say children look up to their parents. Unfortunately, my parents divorced. That is one example that woke me up from the whole perception of this idiotic artificial thing called love.

To me, I used to be one of those dreamers that grasped on every sign and aspect of love… _or what I thought before this very day…_

But to me now… _Love does not exist _in my world.

All the negativities are blended into one, showing nothing but fear, hatred, corruptness and anguish. There is nothing worth living for, nothing worth believing. I feel as if my life has turned dramatically into a lost soul, traveling and distancing itself from everything it can touch.

Though, to the eye, you may not see it. The reason is because I hide my feelings, and I place a pseudo mask showing none of my emotions. I am almost certain that my true self, or of what used to be me, is slowly fading away. I – I **am** fading away…

But I'd be lying to myself to say that I **_never _**believed in Love.

From this day, I am sure that my Love for her is now an obsession. It brings tears for me even to admit that she is the person whom I lust for the most …**_so much…_**Someone who I can't stop thinking about…someone who has captured my head and has it twined in her fingers, mocking me. The quote, " It is not Love when that person does not love you back." And that should clearly explain what I am going through…

She is the girl that has been haunting my dreams, my life and my past. Reminiscing of her everyday is slowly killing me. It's like I'm in a nightmare that I can never wake up from. Her hair, her eyes, our arguments…seeing her smiles… _everything about her…_

What I liked the most about her… _was **she**_. Not how she looked, not because she was my childhood friend since I was young, not because _of any of that_

But she has changed… and everyone changes, either in a good way or a bad. That's what I loath about life. Changes. Changes have been constantly occurring to me…and most of them are bad. And not having _her _by my side makes it even worse…it makes me wish I were dead. Even if I were dead, her face will haunt my spirit and will never leave me alone at peace. With this, I _hope _for my final breath of air to come as soon as possible. Hope. I've hoped for nearly sixteen years of my life for her…to care for me, _as I care for her_. After everything I've been through, I still manage to leave one drop of hope _just_ for her, in my torn heart.

I had waited for her, all those years, and I will never know the answer to the many questions and thoughts playing continuously in my mind. And by waiting and lusting over her all of these years…I have gotten nowhere, and I am absolutely certain that she doesn't even think of me…

With this, I _swear_ that I will _never_ forget her nor move on, and never will _lust _for anyone else **besides** her.

I, Yamato Ishida, will quit rambling…and will me tell you the '_heart of the story_…' starting from the **_beginning_**…right back to our childhood years...

_Fin. of Prologue_

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**So…what did you think about the start! Hmm...If you're wondering, it won't be all diary entries throughout the whole story…nor will it be written in this manner. In the next chapter, it will be the start of the story, since this was only a taste of the prologue and the extreme angst. Enough of this…I really gotta go..hehe… lots of love & take care…**

**(f l i p s t a h h z)**

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	2. Fragments of Memories: Chapter One

Last Edited16.12.o5

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Digimon, but by now…you should know that I **do **own this story. Please don't steal these ideas because they are precious to me, for I have put my own saying and feeling to every word I write in this chapter…and some of the events in these stories are _based on (some part) of my life_. _© Flipstahhz_

**(a/n)**

**Woah. I wasn't expecting that much reviews! Keep them going! (jokes…but looking hopeful) … I'm not sure if you guys will like this chapter or not. Since this is starting all the way from the 'start' this part takes place when sora and yamato are in their 'really' younger years. I'm not really in a mood of talking much, because I've got to type this up quickly and have got only a few hours to put this up since I got so much homework and this is the only spare time I can do so. So bear with me…and I shall leave you with this chapter!**

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**Do You Still Think of Me?**

**PART ONE – Fragments of memories**

Chapter One

By _Flipstahhz_

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**1996 – 7 Years Old**

She leant against the brick wall, of the school building, heart throbbing in a rapid beat as she constantly took deep gulps of air. Her auburn hair was damp from the sweat she had produced and her clothes were sticking on her body like glue. For once, she was actually thankful that she had been wearing a skirt at school. She was flushed pink from the amount of running she had been doing, which was why she had come to the decision that hiding was her last choice. But what feared her most…was getting caught…and becoming tugged…

" **_It _**"

Sora Takenouchi's memory was still clear, of how her own best friend – Mimi Tachikawa – and herself hid in the girl's toilets so the boy's couldn't go in and tag them. A short while later, the bell rang and realization struck the two seven-year-old girls. Being the humble innocent girl she was, Mimi devised that she would out of the toilets first as a distraction, while Sora would run for her very dear life of becoming infested. That's the type of person Mimi was…she'd sacrifice almost anything for the sake of her friends ( as well as her stuffed teddy bears and pink dresses).

The auburn headed girl reminisced how Mimi ran out of the toilets, and watched Taichi trailing her dangerously, making it vacant for Sora to run out and in the opposite direction. She then recalled squinting hey eyes to notice that Taichi had caught up to Mimi and was about to tag her.

But playing tiggy in Odaiba Elementary wasn't _that_ simple…especially when it was 'boy-and-girl' tag. The children of the school had plotted the game to make the person who is 'it' **has** to _kiss_ the person of the opposite gender to tag them. And this was what happened when Tai tugged Mimi…

It scared Sora. Even the alarming noisy singing voices of "_Mimi and Taichi kissing in the tree. K.I.S.S.I.N.G…"_ still haunted her memories. She shuddered. No, she certainly didn't want to get teased and embarrassed in front of her classmates…and think about boy germs made her shiver.

Suddenly, her ears sensed something coming towards her. Quiet _sneaky_ footsteps… she spun around to match dark azure eyes that pierced towards her direction. She screamed. His dirty blond hair sided in all directions and a smirk appearing on his lips. Yamato Ishida…

_**R U N !**_

Sora ran like she never had before. She ran as fast as her feet could take her, even though her sprint wasn't as smooth as she wanted it to be considering the cement ground wasn't level. The school playground was like a violent battlefield. Especially, when other children of various ages ran around, dodge balls flew in every direction and skipping ropes swooped everywhere…all ready to cause catastrophe. She managed to zigzag her way through the school grounds, but she still could feel the presence of him following behind her. He was a good runner. Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said of her. The strong fierce wind battled against her and her knees were becoming weak from running too long. Pouting, she tripped over and fell down onto the cement ground.

A few seconds later, Yamato reached her and squatted down besides her.

"You all right, Sora?" he asked in concern blazing in his young features.

"Fine," Sora muttered, pulling her knees to her chest dusting of the dirt that had scraped against her knees, making her bleed.

"You sure…! We can go to the sickbay…"

"I'm _fine_," she repeated sternly through her gritted teeth, with a slight whimper in the tone of her voice.

He offered her a hand up, which she accepted and with his assistance was pulled up from the ground. She frowned, remembering she'd have to rinse her hands with soap fifty times from touching the boy's hand. Then a sly grin appeared on Yamato's face. He took a step towards her and gave her swiftly pressed his lips against her right cheek.

"You're **it**!" he laughed and ran before she could run after him.

She stood there, unsure whether to be really angry and pissed off. The palm of her hand touched her cheek, which had been kissed, her face was red in embarrassment and shyness.

_What had just happened?_

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**2000 – Eleven Years Old**

Four years had drifted by, and it would be their final year of elementary school.

It was strange since Yamato Ishida still reminisced his younger brother and Taichi's younger sister entering the school gates. Responsibility made Yamato more serious and overprotective over his younger brother and it made him mature quickly in comparison with the other boys his age. Sometimes his jokes were so swiftly spoken that you would miss the small sparkle of amusement in his eyes.

_Perhaps he his actions had become so much older because of the family fights at home?_

Taichi, his best friend, had noted how much Matt had grown and took quite a while to adjust to the changes. Whenever the brunette headed boy would fool around, instead of Yamato joining him, he would scowl him. This had caused many fights over the years. (like the time when Taichi had slammed Yamato's head into the classroom wall, leaving a hole of his head imprinted on the plaster. Or maybe when Yamato had punched Taichi in the jaw causing blood to ooze out and three of his teethes to come out…but then again, it was wobbly in the first place…so that was merely lucky) Though, somehow, the troublesome duo still had managed to cling together, understand each other's terms and were yet molded into the '_bestest of friends_.'

Even though they had shoved each other's differences aside, Yamato still refused to take part in the soccer team (which Taichi begged him to join) or even the basketball team to verse other schools in interschool sports. But he had to choose one interschool sport, since it was compulsory in Odaiba Elementary. He recalled how he terribly lost against his own brother - Takeru - in a one on one session, he decided he wasn't going to be involved or near a basketball for the rest of his life. So basketball was out of the question. Leaving bat tennis and netball vacant for him to chose from. Netball was completely a girl's sport, so that was immediately discarded away…_leaving bat tennis_.

Reasons why he chose bat tennis? Perhaps how there were only a few boys from his school playing it and the other schools would have a much bigger advantage since half their bat tennis team were boys, and it wasn't fair that three quarters of the Odaiba team to be girls. Sure, Yamato didn't have anything against how the girls at his school played the game…it was just…what if the opposing team got into a fight…or cheated? Another reason was probably…well…having a guy's instinct…seeing girls in skirts! _Or maybe it was … Sora? _Being the klutz she was, she'd probably trip on every step she tried to run towards the tennis ball…and he, Yamato, would capture the moment to tease and laugh at her…Then again, m_aybe he simply enjoyed Sora's company…?_ He shrugged.

The blonde headed boy shook his head. He observed the new company around him, glancing as the other school walked in, sending glares and sniggers at every Odaiba Elementary student they laid eyes upon. Tamachi Elementary and Odaiba Elementary had always been rivals when it came to battling each other at a sport of any kind. He gave a sideway glance at Sora whom was shifting nervously, her eyes focusing on the racket that she clenched in her fingers, that were gradually turning white.

"_Okay_!" his tennis teacher spoke up aloud to them, breaking the tension. "Tamachi has arrived! I'll be setting all fourteen of you in twos so that we'll end up with seven even pairs. When I call your names, go to any vacant courts and take a tennis ball with you as well."

The teacher scrolled down the list, calling out pairs of names…and then it was Yamato's turn…

"Yamato Ishida," the teacher paused as he thought of someone else best suited for him. " You'll be paired with Sora…Sora Takenouchi…"

Sora turned towards him with a grin, which Matt returned back. Over the years Mimi, Sora, Taichi and Yamato had been close…but drifted apart a bit, as they got older…but the four still remained great friends. Whenever they had to be assigned with the opposite gender for an assignment of such, they would join together.

" Guess I'm stuck with you."

"Guess you are," Sora laughed back in response, tossing Matt a tennis ball, which he skillfully caught. " Let's get ourselves a court."

" Sure, I bag the left side!"

Within minutes, they were practicing on one of the bat tennis courts. Since bat tennis didn't require large tennis rackets, it meant that the courts were probably half the size of the normal tennis court. Their opponents (both male, which Sora thought it was unfair) came after a while…and the game _commenced_…

Yamato served. The serve was returned. Yamato ran for the ball, going in front of Sora to get a perfect hit and gaining the Odaiba Elementary pair a point. Sora let it go by at first, seeing it was the first point and that Yamato probably didn't notice that he had **trespassed** onto her domain of the court where she _should_ have been given the chance to hit the ball. But she was wrong, when it was the opponent's turn to serve Yamato _again_ went on her territory and stood in front of her as if she wasn't there.

"Matt!" she glowered. " That was my ball, in **_my_** square! I could have hit that ball! You didn't have to go in front of me the second time. I know how to hit a ball, idiot! "

A boy from Tamachi served.

" Gee…at least I hit it, unlike you that just waited for me to come along and do something about it," he objected back taking a gasp of air as he strode forward to return the serve.

"Just because _I'm a girl _doesn't mean I can't hit a ball, Yamato! Let me prove it!" as the ball returned from the opponent shooting back towards her, she hit the ball skillfully so hard and low that it _almost _didn't make the net, but still continued to fly in the air, hitting the mid corner of the court. Scoring them a point…

" My bad," he stared at her, mouth agape in awe, but replaced his facial expression with a smirk. " Didn't know you'd be too good…"

Sora sneered, " Just because I'm better-."

Since Sora and Yamato weren't paying attention, the opponent served the tennis ball down the middle line. This time, Tamachi scored them a point.

"If the two of you weren't fighting like a elderly couple, you would have paid attention to that ball!" a voice shot out. Their tennis teacher stood before them angrily, shaking his head disapprovingly, while the other two boys that they were against posed faces and snickers.

Sora glared at Yamato and whispered dangerously in his ear, " We'd better win this match, or else I'll tell Tai what you said about the map that he drew for one of the school projects, of how he was the King of Doodles…and that will surely start another fight, maybe another head in the wall!"

He gulped. He didn't even think that Sora would remember that. Lately, Taichi's favourite performance in causing pain was called '_whacks_.' And yes, they were very painful whacks indeed.

Sora smiled, realizing that now Yamato had learnt two lessons about her. Don't mess with her when she was focused in a tennis match, and not to misjudge how she played since she was a "girl."

She now would probably consider this sport better over soccer, after how the day had progressed…

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**Last day of Elementary… - 2000 (same year as previous section)**

"I don't understand," Sora paused as she released her tight ponytail, and let her shoulder length auburn locks fell down, " Why do you plan to sneak into a classroom, since we aren't allowed to? I mean, sure … it's not really against school policies, and that I wouldn't mind doing it any other day…but why'd you have to choose _this_ day? Our **_last_** _day_! We're not going to be in a coed school next year. We should at be saying goodbye to each other and exchanging signatures in our graduations books!"

"Sora," Mimi started off mischievously, " That's why I dragged you here."

"What…do you mean?" the other girl arched an eyebrow in confusion.

"Well … this is the last… and best opportunity for me to know whom you love!" she giggled excitedly.

Sora frowned, leaning back in the chair, " Come on Mimi, if I did like someone…I would have told you…which I _DON'T_! And don't tell me you went through all this trouble to push it out of me to admit to you that I like someone…, which I _**DON'T**!_ Can't you just believe me when I said that I didn't like anyone!"

"No. And you just said 'didn't' which means you NOW like someone…don't you, Sora?" she winked. " Even though you're a tomboy doesn't mean you –."

"Mimi," Sora interrupted impatiently thinking it was best to get this over done with, " Out with it. Just tell me what you want me to do already."

"Well…I'll go by my list," Mimi took a piece of paper from her pocket making Sora's frown grow deeper. " Is it DAMIE-."

"MIMI! Don't tell the whole world! Just write the names on the whiteboard and erase them when I shake my head, meaning no…I DON'T like them," she emphasized clearly.

"So what! It's not like anyone's here…listening…" Mimi giggled. " But for your sake I'll write 'every' name on the whiteboard that I think you might like…"

"Alright…just hurry up with it already, I'm going to shake my head to all of these names anyway…"

Minutes passed by, and with every name Mimi wrote on the board, Sora shook her head and was slowly losing her patience.

"Two more names left," Mimi announced. " I know you have something to say for at least one of them…so you'd better tell the truth. Plus, I know when you lie…since you're a really bad liar."

"Thanks for the compliment," the auburn haired girl yawned, but her eyes suddenly caught two shadows behind the door.

Her eyes then advanced back to the whiteboard where Mimi had written the name " Yagami, Tai."

Sora almost fell off her chair.

"MIMI! HE's like my brother! No way!" Sora cried in disbelief with how Mimi came up with such ideas. " That's eww! Come on Mimi, you should know by no-…"

" Alright, _alright_! But seriously, you gotta say something about this name!" Mimi rubbed Taichi's name off the board and scribbled a name down, reading – _Ishida, Mat; _Taichi's best friend.

Sora choked. Literally.

"Then I was right!" Mimi beamed. " You like him…_don't you_!"

"No…I **don't**," Sora lied then accidentally let her lips speak before her mind had a say. " It's nothing really…he only gave me a kiss back in-."

"HE KISSED YOU! AND YOU NEVER TOLD ME? I'M YOUR BEST FRIEND!"

"Mimi," Sora exclaimed. "Just rub it off before someone sees –."

The brunette headed girl didn't need to be told, since she already had completed wiping everything besides the "T" of the board when Taichi and Yamato "suddenly" came stumbling in.

"Umm…ehh….we –," Yamato started rigidly scratching his head.

Mimi gave a nervous laughed and immediately wiped the "T" off the whiteboard, though it was quite obvious that the two boys had seen the letter.

"Yeah…uhhh…we…well…err…well… we just wanted to tell you that everyone's outside saying their goodbyes and we were looking for you…to…eh sign our yearbooks for old times sake?" Tai continued, ending the lie with a toothy grin. He pulled out his yearbook and a green pen.

As Mimi signed it, Sora couldn't help but think what the two boys had thought about the "T" that had been the last letter in Matt's name…were they know thinking that she had a crush on a boy who's name started with **T**!

_Realization hit her…what if they thought…that she liked Tai instead_?

She gaped until Tai got her out of her daze to sign his yearbook.

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(note: _mind the exaggeration, and the kiddish feel to this chapter. I am describing it from my point of view, but you must note that this chapter is focused mainly on the children and their actions at this certain age.)_

**p.s – the next chapter will be focused on what happened when both of them moved to separate high schools…so this is more like the " do you still think of me!" part…arghh…it's really hard to explain…but when the REST of the whole story falls in place…(hopefully) you'll get it!**

**p.ss I hope this chapter didn't confuse you all o-O**


	3. Fragments of Memories: Chapter Two

Last Edited16.12.o5

Written: 28.o3.o5

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Digimon, but by now…you should know that I **do **own this story. Please don't steal these ideas because they are precious to me, for I have put my own saying and feeling to every word I write in this chapter…and some of the events in these stories are _based on (some part) of my life_. _© Flipstahhz_

**(a/n)**

**Okay. I'm glad that this story has hit it off. (or I could have just simply said started…shrugs) This section is mainly from Sora's perspective after elementary school. What happened. What didn't happen. And so forth. So hmm…just ignore what I said in the previous chapter about what was occurring in this chapter. This chapter will also probably be filled in with the separation of high schools and what it was like to be in an "all girls school" and the circumstances you must face. It also may be confusing with all the flashbacks. But this part of the story is fragments of memories, right? So I did warn. ( This chapter will be a dragggggggg considering all these themes I am going to abide by) Meet you at the end of the chapter!**

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**Do You Still Think of Me?**

**PART ONE – Fragments of memories**

Chapter Two

By _Flipstahhz_

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**( f l a s h b a c k)**

**December 2000/**

_The wind slyly lifted leaves shaded vibrant fiery oranges and browns, into the air then release and let them float back down to the ground. Two figures lay on the long thin strands of green grass, their minds tangled up towards the clouds up high, that slowly drifted._

_There were meant to be four figures, at that certain time, since the group had decided to meet up after a week in graduating from elementary - but only two figures had managed to turn up. Considering one had his schedule full with soccer training and the other was occupied in shopping with her mother, supposedly looking for a pair of pink sandals._

" _Can't believe it's been a week from our last day of school. It's all over…but now… we got high school to face," he yawned, carelessly avoiding the streaks of sandy blond hair falling over his eyes. He had a languid structure that was pertinent to the calm serene surrounding. _

_The female figure turned sideways to stare at her companion, " Yeah…too bad Tai and Mimi ain't here to even talk about it. We're on holidays and still they're busy."_

"_Hmm," Yamato Ishida agreed and continued to gaze at the clouds, " I still don't even know what I want to be when I'm older. Right now, it feels as if the only reason I'm alive is to protect TK. But now…he's grown. I – I don't understand…everything's made sense, but now…it's all confusing."_

" _Life **is **confusing," Sora hated talking in doubt. Doubt was usually negative. She liked to stick to being positive instead._

_At their age they would probably be excited about entering a new stage of their lives. High school was about escaping childhood and facing a completely new atmosphere. Though, that was probably why they connected in a strange way. They weren't fully innocent since they knew the reality of some situations the world could have. Sora had only been brought up without her father. And Yamato was occasionally facing all the angst whenever his parents fought. They knew that life didn't carry happiness all the time…and it confused these children dearly._

" _When six years passes by, as quickly as primary school, we'd probably have a more better goal…so we've got a lot of time to think about what we want to do…" Sora sighed._

"_Since you're so confidant…what is your future career?" he snapped - though he didn't really mean to question her in such an abrupt way – turning his body towards Sora, azure eyes orbing into her's making the girl feel slightly uncomfortable with him._

_She responded with a shrug, " Something to do with fashion perhaps…maybe a clothes designer…**what?**_!"

_Yamato leered at her in a weird way, then cracked up laughing._

"_What! Tell me Matt!" Sora repeated in annoyance, wishing that his smiled and amusement would wipe off his face. Her eyebrows knitted, she was certain it had to do with something she had said that made it hilarious to her friend. " What! I know what I want to be is really farfetched and all –"_

"_No offence…but it's just **weird**," Matt laughed, staring at the clothing she was wearing (a plane red shirt and denim shorts) and at her as a person. He had known her for a while, and he'd never expect 'Sora' to say something like that…if it was Mimi…sure… but Sora!_

"_Gee…thanks for the compliment," she arched an eyebrow. " But it won't happen either way. I'm probably just going to stick with a practical job…because what I told you is what I **want**_ _to do…not what I **will **be my future career. Dreams like this never work out. Especially when there's nothing to believe in…"_

" _But it **could**_ _happen if you believed…"_

" _You're too much of a dreamer. Dreamers don't get anywhere. They're too scared to face reality," she frowned, she was a hypocrite, yet she spoke skeptically. But she was certain that being a dreamer was something she had to get out of her system. " My turn to ask… what do you want to be?"_

" _A rock star," he smirked with attitude but received a look, " Fine. Like what you said something to do with fashion –."_

"_What!" Sora repeated the word for the forth time as she began to shake him, " Something to do with fashion…are you kidding me? And you accused that me being a fashion designer would be weird!"_

" _You didn't let me finish what I was about to say, " it was Matt's turn to give her a look, but this look was with pure utter disgust. " What I meant was… like you said something to with fashion. I want to do something related with music. I'm not as sure yet, but as I said before…being a rock star would be mad."_

" _See…you're not even sure…"_

"_I don't have to be unsure," he spoke determinedly, " Cause I am **certain**_ _that I'll do something that's gotta do with the music industry."_

"_I heard music is hard to get into. Cause you have to have your own originality to stick up from the crowd people and bands. Wouldn't you give up?"_

" _It's something I've wanted to do for a long time. And I'm not planning to give up that easily, without a fight."_

" _You won't," Sora answered firmly. " I've already noticed that my dream is hopeless…why can't you see that –."_

" _And I'm not letting you give up as well, not if I can help it," he interrupted. " The people who fail are the people who lose hope. And I'm not letting you fall into that trap. We're in this together…**I promise you**_…"

_She gave a tiny smile, eyes wandering back to the soft clouds floating above her. She nodded in agreement._

**( end of flashback )**

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**2004 – four years later (16 years old)**

Her face was an inch away from pressing against the cold glass window. It was autumn again. For her, she was considered lucky to even get a seat on the crowded bus. The air was filled with all the passengers noisily chatting, but their voices didn't interest her. She was lost in her thought…dreaming of her childhood.

These days everything was clearly disturbing her. She would reminisce about her friendships (she even remembered all the people's name from her grade six class…that even scared her), about how it once had been…but mainly about him…

_Yamato probably didn't even remember…_

Even when she stared at the clouds, memories would blur back into her head. She hated it. She hated it so much that it was driving her off the tip of sanity. Whenever she thought of him, she felt ill in her stomach and extremely dizzy. Even the way his name was pronounced was etched into her head no matter how much she didn't want to think of him _or_ his name. She even would catch herself muttering his name, and would be thankful that she hadn't said it aloud to anyone yet…

Perhaps it was the signs of lust talking to herself? But having this lust for so many years was tormenting her. She hated him for it. She blamed him for it. She blamed him for _everything_, even though she couldn't deny that she had partly played in the game as well.

Four years had past, yet she still clung to the past. She missed elementary. She missed the small pieces of homework she would get. She missed running around and feeling the strong breeze hit against her face. She even missed tripping over. She missed him.

In other words – she hated high school. High school. Whenever the words were spoken, it would make her cringe.

She barely managed making it out of school everyday, following the low tedious and tiring routine. She hated gaining homework for every subject. She hated following a timetable and how her classes were always situated in different rooms. She hated reading. Sora Takenouchi could give you a huge list. Well…going to an all girl's school gave her a more better glance in fashion, but that was probably the only factor why she liked about high school.

Leaving from her coed primary school to an all girl school had permanently changed her.

She had to face having good manners, fashion, bitch fights, boys and make up. She didn't mind the good manners (beside the fact that she couldn't burp aloud anymore without getting teased), bitch fights (it wasn't really a problem cause she was never in them) or the fashion (besides wearing clothes she was comfortable in) … mainly she was 'uneducated' with make up and boys.

Even though fashion and make up fitted into the same category, Sora found them completely different. Fashion was a way of expressing yourself. But makeup… if you did one mistake you could look like a clown. She just stuck to the simplicity of make up – lip-gloss, plucking eyebrows (though not that thin) and some facial cleansers ( if that was even considered as makeup) and body creams. She would just go to school, with her hair down, and that was it…causing people to look down on her. But she didn't really care. If this was who she was, they had to face her like that.

'Boys' were another thing that tremendously bugged her. She was separated from the boys she had grown up with – Taichi and Yamato – as well as her other guy friends, when she had left for high school. She was accustomed to being around them, and when they had all of a sudden disappeared from her every day life…it felt _really _strange. She would notice when her girl's school would have a social with another boy's school…watching how her girl friends would act really flirty and get all ready and prepared … it disgusted her. But being in a girl's school for four years would take a toll on her. Almost every guy that she would come across, she would blush. To her, it was extremely embarrassing.

If she wasn't in an all girl's school, she'd probably be more herself. And probably the whole situation with Yamato would be sorted out, knowing that she would be able to confront him instead of being locked up in a place with the only gender of females. She would of probably stopped thinking about him since she'd know more guys to think about. Being only child and knowing only two guys in her life (at her age) was another reason why she probably felt uncomfortable, also considering the fact that she hardly spoke to them anymore due and since elementary. Now that they were _gone_…that was most likely why she thought of both Yamato and Tai a lot.

These thoughts were continuously playing in her head so fast that the thoughts weren't making sense at all. She would think all of these thoughts and situations during class or when she was by herself. It had blinded her from reality, with every year that came to close…she still felt like a little kid inside. Keeping all this in for so many years without telling anyone, was mentally hurting her.

And yet she continued to do this to herself…

She opened her eyes, realizing that she was still on the bus and that her friend was still speaking.

"…and the party was soo hot! Seriously Sora, you should've been there. Tai and Matt were even there, they were looking for you too!" Mimi rambled on, still thinking that Sora had listened to the whole story. She stopped when taking a glance at Sora's pale complexion. " Girl, you really need to get some rest. You're always daydreaming, and leaving me out. "

_More like the other way around… _Sora thought, then immediately wanted to punch herself. Even though Mimi had changed a lot for the past four years, she was never ashamed to be with Sora. She still acted as her best friend, even though she hardly spoke lively anymore. Mimi was still the same person Sora had admired as a best friend. And she felt guilty always making Mimi worry about her.

Though Sora did loath how her best friend could be such a social butterfly, when it came to mingling with boys…she never caught her blushing…

" For once, come back to the present and listen to me!" The brunette headed girl snapped so Sora could hear over the noisy squashy group of people in the crowded bus. " I still don't get _why_ you can't just be like everyone and fit in? I know you can…I've known you for such a long time. You could just for once…got parties, have fun, get drunk -"

"Be rebellious," Sora cut off then sarcastically commented, " Then perhaps, get raped while I'm at it."

Sora had a good sense at what was right and wrong. Sure, as Mimi had said, she could go to parties and 'have fun.' She knew she was capable of doing that…but she just didn't…she believed she wanted to find out who she actually 'was' before letting parties stuff her up even more. She wanted to find out…why she **couldn't** let herself repudiate her past…

" You're always talking negatively."

"No, I'm always talking practically."

"Screw being practical."

"No, screw you," Sora glared then immediately wished she took the words back.

Mimi stared at her in dismay. Sora hardly cursed…and especially _never _to her…unless she was really pissed off.

Sora shook her head, " Fuck…sorry Mimi. I seriously…I seriously didn't mean to say that."

"Yeah," Mimi stared uncertainly, " Maybe you're acting like this because you're always shutting every one away from you. Are you alright, Sora?"

"Fine."

Mimi rolled her eyes at the evident lie.

"Mimi," she spoke. " I'm sorry about the outburst just then…we've gone through so much together…and risking this friendship over some stupid fight of being practical…"

"Nuh, it's alright," she replied. " You didn't mean it. Just forget about it. It was stupid"

"I'd better get off now, it's my stop," Sora sighed, " See you at school tomorrow. Bye…"

Mimi waved, concern lingering in hey unsteady smile.

Sora held a hand up as a farewell, then observed the bus disappear in the distance. She continued to walk, not even realizing the sky drizzling water onto her. Even if she had noticed, she wouldn't have cared. She wasn't going to fret over her hair getting stuffed up or getting the usual cold.

"Sora!"

She slowly turned around, gulping back a surprise at the resemblance in features the younger boy had carried towards his brother.

"TK!" she spoke questioningly.

"Yeah, it's been a while," the other person grinned. His blond hair covered with the usual fisherman - yet stylish - hat. His ocean like eyes brightly sparkled, and from the last time Sora had seen him he was a head shorter than her, but not in this case. He had grown.

Almost everything was identical to Yamato, besides the fact that Yamato could shield what he was feeling from everyone else and that his haircut was different.

Awkwardly, Takeru gave her an embrace, which she returned. " It's been a while," he repeated, letting go of the sibling like hug. " Why don't you come visit anymore! Wasn't Tai, my brother, Mimi and you the best of friends?"

"Back then. We sort of drifted," she admitted with a shrug. She sneezed finally realizing that it was raining, " I'd better get going. It's raining."

"Yeah, me too," he spoke cheerfully.

Sora couldn't help but beam at the younger boy. Though it was starting to rain hard, he still managed to bear happiness. That's what made the boy special.

"Take care."

"Bye Sora!"

She waved again, beginning to walk the opposite pathway further down the street. She then entered a building, went up the elevator and into her apartment. She entered her room, feeling more relaxed and at serenity.

So what had she been up to over the years besides being lost into a world of thoughts?

She made scrapbooks of cloth designs. Her favourite ones were plastered against the cream walls of her bedroom. In her spare time, she'd help her mother out in their florist retail store.

She logged onto her messenger account, on the computer, and scrolled down the list of people online. There weren't many people online since they usually went on at nighttime. And it was only four o'clock.

Her eyes fell to the only person online. Her heart darkened.

**Display name**: _hydrolix_

**Status** : out to lunch

"Typical," she sighed, leaning back against her chair. He always did that…whenever he was really online or downloading music…he'd put his status as 'out to lunch.'

It pissed her off to tears how she knew all these tiny details about him.

_Why couldn't Yamato just leave her alone! Why was he always everywhere she turned? Why, after all these years, was he still fixated in her mind!_

Her story with Yamato after elementary, was short, complicated…yet simple. And his story in her life still lingered in her…never leaving her alone…

She recalled how after elementary, they swore to keep in contact. So they exchanged emails, and did keep in contact for a specific time.

On the Internet, she felt less shy because she wasn't talking to him in person. But it was more like a false hope – typing her words out instead of speaking to him personally. They became closer, but Sora was hesitant. She kept on saying that they were like 'brothers and sisters.'

That was her way of 'thinking about a relationship' from building on as close siblings…then when the time was right…

_But that never happened…_

One day, when she was the age of thirteen, her girl school had a social with the other boy school that Yamato and Tai attended. After not seeing each other in person for about three full years because they went to different schools and lived in different sections of Odaiba, Sora felt really awkward and uncomfortable. She was shy…quiet…embarrassed…so…

_She avoided him._

_And he avoided her._

The two pretended as if they didn't know each other, making Tai and Mimi exchange confused glances.

A month later they began to chat online, yet again. Matt spoke of how she'd grown, and Sora spoke to him that he had as well. Their warm conversations slowly became cold and dull.

But when Valentine's Day came…

Matt asked if she would be his valentine.

Sora was pretty sure he was kidding around (still having the words etched in her memory of what she had said to him that day on messenger) " How could I be your Valentine? It'll be weird. You're my older brother!"

That's when Matt stopped talking to her. Rare occasions they had crossed paths, and they completely ignored each other…it made Sora feel sick to think they were ever friends…and that she thought they would become more than that.

_Perhaps that was why they say friendships, relationships, and romances online never worked out…_

Whenever Mimi, or some other people and friends would mention about him…she'd act as if she didn't care…but she would listen to what they say. And from the eavesdropping…she was disappointed at what Matt had become. He had always told her to be 'yourself' and not be one of those followers.

Instead, he was the type of guy that would get a girl friend every week… was the lead singer to a band (who would only sing for popularity and attention…not for who he was), he would smoke, drink, go high on some drugs once in a while, go to parties, be involved in fights, and even the rumour of him not being a virgin anymore.

It disappointed her. Of what happened to him, and how dramatically he had changed into a person she knew that he'd never be. He wasn't true to himself, and that's what she didn't like about him. Sure, he was involved with music…but the lyrics he sang and composed…they didn't even make sense. And yet girls went crazy for his band. It pissed her off…it pissed her off because she knew Yamato could become a popular artist without using the easy way out and using his looks as a way to become well known amongst the girls. She **knew**…Yamato could do better than that…

The Yamato Ishida everyone saw, was a false identity. Was someone corrupting _his_ name. Yamato Ishida was much better than that pseudo image…_way better_

Changes. She hated changed altogether…probably this was why she was struggling to adjusting to the new reality she had to face. Cause what she **wanted**…she knew she would **never** have…

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**Bleh. I didn't really like this chapter. Probably if I go over and edit it again…I'd be more satisfied. But I'm just going to leave it for now, cause I'm tremendously tired considering I just got back from New Zealand yesterday (jetlag!) and that tying all these memories make me feel weird. This chapter probably confused everyone by now… but next chapter will me more straightforward. And will be definitely from Yamato's point of view. That's all I gotta say for now…(sigh) take care**

**Lots of love**

**F l i p s t a h h z**


	4. Fragments of Memories: Chapter Three

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_Last updated: 21.o5.o5_

**Aino Yuy: **Yes, I tend to do a lot of errors. Haha. It's just I'm real lazy to proofread considering time is a big issue with me. I should get a proofreaders, _jokes._ You love drama? Haha… I do too… but I think the future chapters will be more dramatic that I can't handle it myself. Thanks for reviewing .smile.

**PrincessSakuraTenshi12, lottie11, Blondie121147 & KoumiLoccness: **you guys! Thanks for reviewing. I feel loved. Hehehe…I'm still uncertain why I haven't practically bored everyone yet. Thanks a lot, and I do wish ya all like this chapter

**Mrs.Ishida-to-you: **Hehe. Thanks for the review. New Zealand? Yeah, it was a great trip…though I wished my family could have went out more and drained our money at shopping. A pity it was only for 4 days. In my dictionary, I don't even consider that as a holiday. Haha…

**Kuroi Black Nightingale: **Like I said on the previous email I sent you, we could have met up! Arghhh…LOL . so close, yet so far…and we were probably in the same area! How crazy, mate! Hehe. Hope you like this chapter!

**Theladyknight: **Sad that their friendship faded? Hmm…it'll rekindle again .smile. yeah, the valentine's thing…that happened to me. I freaked out. But that's another (well sort of) story. Everything resolved? My…that seems like a long way to go. Lol. Thanks for reviewing again!

**Tai-for-you: **Haha…I'm confusing a lot of people, these days. Sorry Hope you like this chapter

**(a/n)**

**My apologies for the lateness in delivering, to you, an update. I've rewritten this chapter numerous of times…since I wasn't happy with its progression. Another reason school. It's draining me, literally. Writing this chapter will probably make me less stressed and at peace. Haha. And since it's been a while since I've written a new chapter (Unveiling the Forgotten, an exception) I've been tending to daydream a lot and have gotten more stories tangled up in my head. Majority of them are not Digimon, but are just some pieces of my own. Or, I could simply place the characters as these people. Also, I've tried to make a site, but I want to get my studying for biology exam (in three weeks!) out of the way first then I'll go back to the site AND updating! Bleh, I talk too much. See you at the end of this chapter! **

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**Do You Still Think of Me?**

**PART ONE – Fragments of memories**

Chapter Three

By _Flipstahhz_

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**2005**

_Their holidays were finally over…_

The windows were wound down, letting the strong breeze mess with the two boy's hair as they drove through the main street of Odaiba. Taichi Kamiya let the vehicle turn sharply around the curb, almost sending Yamato Ishida out of the window.

"Jeez, watch it! Watch where you're going, Kamiya!" Matt cursed.

"Your loss," his best friend gave a smirk. " You were supposed to have on your seatbelt, anyway."

It was strange how the two had still remained close friends. As soon as Yamato and Taichi had entered high school, things were much different. When Taichi had first entered the gates of their only boy's school, he had instantly signed up for the soccer tryouts. A week later he had a firm position in the soccer team and had become rather popular for being the youngest member and sometimes seized the chance to show off a bit. Even though he had become popular, he decided that he would only train with his soccer friends and hang out with Matt, the majority of the time. Taichi wasn't that thick headed to know that the members in the soccer team were a bunch of users after getting to know them more better.

Yamato was a different story. Ever since beginning high school, he had been a whole lot quiet, independent and unsociable. The only form of sociability was with Taichi. Most of the time, the only person who he would speak to, was Tai. They had still hung around each other for four years straight and did not intend to break their tight friendship.

" What's up? Why so moody, Taichi. You can't hide anything from me."

It was true; it was like Matt had read his friend's mind. Yamato had observed how his friend had his fingers tightly fastened to the steering wheel, knuckles almost turning white, and how he kept losing focus on his driving once every few minutes. He knew that whenever Tai had something on his mind, his focus was always wavering.

" Don't you think it's disturbing?" he frowned, wrinkles creasing on his forehead, " It's like violation of men's rights!"

Matt didn't need a second chance to think about what Tai had said, " Violation? Where do you come up with all this? To me, I believe it's just another lousy beginning to yet another phase of our lives – being a senior. Also we had to change campus."

(a/n: okay, just to get to the point. Sora and Mimi go to an all girl's school up to year 10. So do Tai and Matt, but the opposite gender. The two schools are connected, and when the pupils become seniors the two year levels – boy and girl – combine into on big level in a different campus. Back to the story…)

The brunette dug his back into the leather seat, eyes focusing on the road. " No that. It's just…being with all these girls of a sudden. It's going to be weird, don't you reckon?"

"Hell yeah. But we've been with a bunch of girls for a long time," Matt didn't understand why Tai had become worked up over the situation.

" Sorry Mr.-I-have-a-whole-bunch-of-girl-fanatics-craving-for-my-ass-which-is-why-I'm-used-to-it. But people, like me…aren't used to a bunch of girls coming into our lives so rapidly."

"I think you should take that back, you hypocrite player," the blond headed adolescent chuckled, " We go clubbing once in a while, and I catch you dirty dancing with some girls."

Yamato was never a fan of the dance club scene. He'd only go if Taichi had dragged him into it, free booze, or his band had a gig.

"But that's a different issue. The booze effects me. At school…it's different. And it will be _weird._ I don't think I can study now…all male environment is more comfortable. I don't need any women in my life, ever since Hikari hit puberty…females can be _scary_."

"Well…I gotta give it to you in that one," he agreed with a broad grin.

" Also, to add, now you have to look good everyday. I mean…even Mimi and S-."

"Sora…" Matt ended with a frown, grin turning upside down.

He had never gotten over her. Everything had simply clashed in the wrong timing. Matt had developed a small crush on her a while back before high school. When they begun it…their closeness had crumbled. Even back in elementary, his parents had begun fighting. As an older brother, he tried his best to prevent and protect his younger brother – TK – from coming across it. While the fights began to worsen, he had settled a strange relationship with Sora, over the Internet. He finally gained the guts to give a pretend confession on Valentine's Day to her almost two year ago, but he was rejected. She only saw him as a brother. He would have not given up on her if they wouldn't avoid each other whenever they crossed paths, and also there was the reason that she liked 'Taichi' after seeing her write his name on the whiteboard years back.

_And he still loved her…_

He thought the years would heal lustful feelings over her, but it never did. He could never get over her. She was always on his mind, and he hated the feeling. He couldn't take not seeing her everyday. It was driving him insane.

If he had the chance he would have instead restored their friendship, but he couldn't. Especially, at that time, his family had finally collapsed a week later– watching as his younger brother was torn away from his arms. Perhaps keeping all this in, had caused him to become really unsociable.

Only last year, he had forced himself to become more sociable and had let a few more people know the real him. Yamato had advanced his admiration for music and learnt how to play the electric guitar. Soon enough his teacher had teamed him up with three other members and were a band, currently known as _The Teenage Wolves._ The group was formed a year ago, and had become incredibly close. They were well known throughout Odaiba and were described as one of the hottest youngest bands. The lyrics he sang, weren't his own. But he didn't mind…any music was a form of relaxation to him…and anyway to let go of reality and not _think about her_.

That was how he slipped into a dark state of depression. He always thought of the past. He missed his family being together. And how had been dragged out of innocence into knowing the evil cruel corrupt world. Depression had killed him and it left him confused…he forget who he was. All he knew was about _her. _In admittance, Yamato had experimented a lot with drugs but wasn't foolish enough to get completely addicted. (The only thing he was addicted to was his packets of cigarettes, but there was nothing else besides that. News paper articles had gossipped that he was a drug addict, was not a virgin and was the stereo typical ' bad boy.' He didn't really care what the media said.)

All in all, he was over everything. Taichi had helped him out of depression by knocking some sense into him, literally – almost sending him unconscious. He had come to realize that even though the world had turned against him, he still had his brother to live up for…he didn't want TK to follow his footsteps and feel the pain he gone through. He was glad that he was more happier, and at least the girl he liked shared the same feelings for him and that they were completely inseparable. (even though Taichi hated to admit it as well)

"So this is the new campus."

"That's right," Taichi commented staring as students were walking in and out of the building. He parked the car; they both got out of it and locked the doors.

" TAI, YAMATO!" a girl screamed.

The girl was a metre away, her pink dyed hair tied back in a ponytail with a large smile pressed onto her face. Next to her was another girl with auburn shoulder length hair who appeared more hesitant. The girl with pink hair looked excited with her eyes glittering she began to fasten her pace closer towards the pair.

" SORA, MIMI!" Tai yelled back, " What happened to your hair?"

" Ha! I dyed it over the holidays," Mimi giggled. Sora, on the other hand, stared around uncomfortably with a soft blush appearing on her cheeks.

" Can't believe we're going to be in the same schools again," Tai exclaimed. " This will be interesting."

"Yeah," Yamato spoke in agreement his eyes darted at the crowds of people filling the school, trying to avoid contact with the two females in front of him.

" Yo! Blondie!" a familiar voice called somewhere in the crowd.

"Jay!" Matt realized the second lead guitarist in his band.

" Hey ladies and Tai," he gave a wink as they all exchanged hellos.

"Where's Kent and Bri?"

"Bri…" Jay laughed, " Is well…sort of flirting with all the girls."

"Typical," Tai stated. He as the rest knew, Bri – the drummer - loved attention…especially attention with girls.

"And Kent?" Matt questioned.

"That's the thing," Jay scratched his head nervously, unaware how the lead would take the news. " He's over at America to visit some family…which means we can't really play at any gigs…"

To his surprise, Matt remained calm. " We all need a rest I guess. I think it's best of if we have a break for good."

"You mean…break up?" Jay's eyes widened.

" I mean…we don't need to use this popularity as an advantage. And I'm getting sick of singing songs that don't mean anything to me, with people going crazy over it. I think it's just wrong."

"Yeah…but _break up?"_

" Jay, face it," Matt sighed. " We truly don't have a future at this, with all the competition around. Before we know it, we'll be an old band that people laugh at. It was good fun, while it lasted. But don't you think we've grown out of it?"

The raven headed boy kept quiet, thoughtfully. " You do have a point. Guess my parents have been not really happy with my grades dropping ever since we've been practising so much. We've put so much effort in it…that we let this dream make us ignorant of reality. I don't think I can handle playing at gigs for the rest of our lives…especially when our fan base might leave us."

"You guys got a point. Why don't you just play a gig once in a while and focus more on your studies? I've dropped out of soccer the end of last year. This will be our last years at school, and I don't want to regret anything," Tai added. " Let's give it our all."

"You're right," Matt responded to them. " But if we do get back together…let's right our own lyrics."

"Agreed," Jay laughed. " I gotta go, can't wait to burst Bri's bubble. Pretty sure his ego's gunna drop way down."

" My bet's on that."

"Later blondie, Tai and Mimi!"

"Ciao. See you at class."

_Where's Sora? _The blond headed boy glanced around unaware that the girl had slipped away while they were talking. He raised his eyebrow.

"Am I hearing things right, the Teenage Wolves are going to break up!" Mimi exclaimed. " That's terrible!"

Tai chuckled. " Terrible for you."

"Oh," Mimi glanced around, " She was here just a minute ago. Do you guys happen to know where Sora is? Guess she still isn't used to our little reunion."

"Yeah," Matt had finally spotted her, she was walking into the school. " She's going in school."

"I'll catch you two later, I'd better see where she's off to! Take care!" Mimi giggled.

The brunette stared after her then glanced back at Yamato. " I still don't get why she had to dye her hair **pink**! Seriously, _pink _of all colours?"

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She stared at the mirror. Her heart was beating rapidly. _Why had she been so embarrassed back there? Why was she running away? What was she scared of?_

**Yamato?**

Probably. She wanted to be angry with him, but she couldn't. She hated how he talked to his new friends in his band and completely avoided everyone else there. But then again, she was a hypocrite. She had started ignoring him…

She sighed, a frown pursing on her cherry shaded lips. She couldn't stand standing there with all of them together again. Matt, Tai, Mimi and her - it just wasn't the same anymore. They all had changed so much, and their differences had grown enormously. She didn't want to remember, she wanted to forget the past and move on. But how could she when the past always found its way back to her? She hated the system of how her school had to join up with the boy's school. But she couldn't avoid everything…she had to face everything. And she was anxiously_ frightened_ about the whole ordeal. It made her sick.

Was she going to continue to think in her own mind, or was this all going to change as being a senior? If she were to survive this, it would be a miracle. But she swore to herself that she would try to avoid **him **for the two final years of schooling. As if that would ever happen…

The bell rang

_How long had she been in the toilet for?_

She pushed the door open and was astounded as the hallways buzzed with people. She had missed where she was supposed to be going, what she was supposed to be doing and where her locker was. _What was she going to do **now**?_

"Sora! Oh my, I've been looking for you all over the place. It's already period one! You need to get to class!"

She gave a sigh of relief. Glad that she had bumped into Mimi. " I would get to class if I knew what I had!"

"That's where I come in handy," Mimi thrust a piece of paper into her hands. " That's the timetable. We haven't been allocated lockers yet. I really need to get to class. See ya at recess, Sora!"

"Thanks. I owe you," she murmured. Some first day she was going to have…_she was already late for class!_

She read her timetable to herself, " Period 1 is English. Room 44. That's beautiful. I don't even know where all the rooms are."

She took minutes looking around the campus, but still couldn't find her room. Then she walked into him…him of **all** people.

"Great," she sighed, trying to not stare at him. She could smell the smoke from his cigarette circling around him, making her feel even sicker. He was smoking on school grounds. So what? He could get away with everything. " Why aren't you in class."

" I'm amazed that you even spoke to me," he replied quietly and dodged the question. " What class have you got?"

"English," she replied.

"Me too."

It was awkward. She wanted to get out of this conversation as quick as possible, so she stopped beating the bush.

"Do you happen to know where room 44 is?"

"Yeah, it's opposite the gym. You can't miss it. T-thanks," she answered gratefully.

"And Sora?"

She winced, she hadn't heard him say his name for a long time. And it hurt.

"Yes," she whispered.

"Tell the teacher I'm going to be a bit late? I promise I'll come."

"Whatever…" she scoffed, walking away.

It infuriated that he was using her. But that was her longest conversation she had with him for such a long time. And she had sworn to herself she would avoid him. It pissed her off that he was playing the typical 'rebel' by coming late to class, it pissed her off that she was going to cover up for him. She followed the direction he told her and found her room. She nervously walked in, to see all her classmates staring at her then began to chat. She didn't know anyone here. The girls from her previous campus were flirting with boys or were the girls that she hadn't become friends with.

"Sora! Sit over here!" a familiar voice exclaimed.

To her surprise she saw Tai. She felt more comfortable being in his presence than in Yamato's or any other boy's. She seated next to him.

"Where's the teacher?"

"He's late."

"Oh," she replied. She pulled the books from her bag and placed them neatly onto her desk.

"Perfectionist. You're still the same," Tai laughed.

"I guess…" she gave a weak smile. She tiredly let her head fall onto the desk as the noisy class waited for their teacher. Soon enough, she had to lift her head from the desk and pay attention.

Seconds later, the teacher had arrived. He looked rather flustered as he began rummaging through his papers to find the roll. He began to call every pupil's name. He ran through the roll and when he got to Yamato's name, no one replied.

"Does anyone know where Mr. Ishida is?"

Sora nervously began to speak up. She never spoke in class, she was more like the people to be daydreaming or half asleep. She wasn't fond of attention.

" Umm…he's coming a bit late…he had to see a teacher."

The teacher nodded, while Tai gave her an unsteady glance.

"Already? We just started today…" Tai commented. " So much for focusing on our studies."

"Nuh…he'll be hear soon," Sora said uncertainly. " He said he'd be a bit late."

"I see," the brunette replied. " Nice cover. Though I thought he should have told me that he was going to be lat-."

Sora doubtfully felt uneasy. What if he didn't turn up to class? What if he didn't keep his promise? Would she get told off for covering him up…

"Sorry I'm late, Sir." A boy walked in.

"Take a seat Mr. Ishida."

He did, sitting on the other opposite side of Tai and mimicked a 'Thanks' to her.

He had kept his promise.

That's all that mattered at that moment…because this was the Yamato that she knew…and loved…

She smiled.

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**Oh my golly. I finally released this chapter. Before anyone says when I'll be updating again…it will be in more than 3 weeks considering I'm giving my priority, now, to study for my exam. This will be my last update until then. I hope you liked this chapter…please review!**

**Lots of love**

**Flipstahhz**

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	5. Fragments of Memories: Chapter Four

Last Edited17.12.o5

Written: 11.o7.o5

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Digimon, but by now…you should know that I **do **own this story. Please don't steal these ideas because they are precious to me, for I have put my own saying and feeling to every word I write in this chapter…and some of the events in these stories are _based on (some part) of my life_. _© Flipstahhz_

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**Do You Still Think of Me?**

**PART ONE – Fragments of memories**

Chapter Four

By _Flipstahhz_

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**2005**

Being a 'senior' was hardly unbelievable and extremely hard to accept. It was their second last year of school, the first month had almost ended. For Yamato, the year so far was hard to adjust to. He had gotten over his parents divorce. He had gotten over how his band was no longer a band. He still felt bad for not being at his younger brother's side all the time. He was growing up so fast. And here he was, in a new phase of his life. When he hadn't even gotten over the transfer to high school and leaving his two close girl friends behind. He tried to forget about them…and _her_

At first he thought it was a crush that would lead into high school for a bit…but the feeling _never_ left him. They kept in contact through emails. But when he would face her in real life, he felt awkward and strange. Then when he gained the courage to ask her out on Valentine's Day…he was rejected. But he should have had seen it coming. She liked him as a brother…and there was nothing else to it.

_But **why?**_

After how bad he tried **so** hard to get over Sora…the girl was _suddenly_ back in his life again. Not that it was a bad thing. It was just _strange._ From not seeing her for a long time…he currently was seeing her _every_ day now. She had changed. And he had changed. And he _knew_ that he was falling for her all over again and that he could do _nothing_ about it…

He thought seeing her was uncomfortable, but before he knew it he just didn't see Sora Takenouchi…but was by her side most of the time along with Mimi and Tai. It reminded him of elementary school again. It was the four of them - the small clique. It was as if the clique had reclaimed its title once again. Of course they would hang around each other…Matt was Tai's best friend and Sora was Mimi's best friend. Mimi didn't understand why Sora and him felt uncomfortable around each other…

Matt thought it wouldn't work out. But to his surprise, it did. The group was as close as they had ever been. It didn't even seem like they had been apart for any years at all. It felt perfect. But she…Sora was _different _from the last time he had been with her. She tended to daydream more, a lower self esteem, was quiet, sensitive, shy and would almost blush at any guy she met. She used to blush at Matt and Tai a lot, but she had become used to their company. Tai treated her like another younger sister, and so did Matt, even though he wanted to be more than that. Whenever guys would tease or hit on her, they were at her side. On the other hand, Mimi was Mimi. She was the same. She was stubborn, nice, confident and always determined to get her way. Perhaps that was why Matt's friend fell for her…

It was as if Tai had just realized that Mimi had transformed from a girl to a real 'woman.' From his point of view, she had become rather gorgeous. She had coloured back her wavy pink hair back to brown. Yamato's best friend had always liked brunettes.

Before Sora and Matt knew it, Mimi and Tai were becoming flirtatious to each other…and suddenly became an '**item**.' It was entertaining being with them during lunch break how the two would fight like an elderly couple. Maybe that was how Matt managed to become close to Sora once again. Mimi and Tai were constantly together and the two couldn't just sit there and watch them (especially when it was uncomfortable watching them sometimes make out in front of them). They both felt like a third wheel.

They became closer. He would notice the tinniest things about her. From the way she'd play with her hands when she was nervous, the way her eyes would stare at one place and be lost in a dream, the way she'd shiver when she was cold, the way when she'd play with her pen when she was bored in class, the way she'd sometimes come to school with shades…to hide the tears she had shed…

He wondered why she wore them…

It was obvious that she had been crying. Hiding her tears with glasses did nothing. It just made it obvious that Sora was in pain.

Many times they would ask her what was wrong. She would deny it. She was strong, and kept everything to herself. That's the trait that Matt loathed about her. Because she reminded him of how he acted when his parents split up. How he'd keep everything inside and release his anger and sadness in music and parties. He _knew_ that one day she'd break and that he could do nothing about it. He didn't want her to feel the pain and loneliness…she wanted her to at least tell someone what she was going through - even if it wasn't him) - instead of keeping it all bottled up inside. He had felt the depths of hell before…and he certainly didn't want her to go through it as well. He wanted to find out **what **was going on. But he never expected that he'd find it out on _Mother's Day_…

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" Haven't seen you all day!" he greeted. " Good afternoon, Sora!"

"Good afternoon," she answered with a broad smile as she felt the other person sit on the bench next to her, the school day had concluded.

She didn't need to turn around to face the person when she already knew who it was. The sun shimmered its light upon them for a short period of time, but this time she couldn't help but sneak a glance at her company.

As usual, Yamato's dirty blond locks went over his face, that you could barely see his chilly intent azure eyes. She rarely had a clear direct view of his eyes anymore for a long time… though it made her feel rather relieved…cause when she did meet his strong gaze she felt rather uncomfortable and reluctant to his presence. Sora Takenouchi was glad that she didn't feel awkward hanging about with her close childhood friends anymore. But she still felt shy…

" They _always_ take long, don't they?" he questioned, shaking his head.

She nodded and realized that she had been staring at him a bit longer than usual. She quietly stared at her feet. It was true; Mimi and Tai always took their time. She muttered softly, " Yeah…they do."

"Hmm," he sighed back as he put his hands back on the bench, leaning on them.

Though the atmosphere was silent…it was welcoming, comfortable and serene. The way the fiery shaded leaves floated with the breeze..the surrounding didn't make them feel that they were at school grounds.

Breaking the silence, a new voice popped in. "Sorry for making you guys wait!"

Taichi entered the scene with Mimi linked in his arm as the couple ventured closer to the pair whom had been sitting silently on the bench patiently.

" I reckon, that we should waste this entire afternoon and watch a movie!" Mimi exclaimed her suggestion with a wink. " It's Mother's Day, after all!"

" I thought we were going to go shopping for Mother's Day gifts!" Matt pointed out, eyebrows arched.

" Let's just celebrate Mother's Day for ourselves! If it wasn't for such a special day we wouldn't get to finish early," Mimi announced.

" But you aren't a mother, Mimi! Don't be so selfish," Sora laughed quietly with a fragile simper pursed on her lips. " Why do you –."

"I'm **not** selfish! I was thinking of your sakes too!" she smirked. " See…I thought that all of you would want to watch a film!"

"But Mimi…you're not a mother! Or… _are you_?" Matt said rather seriously.

"No…why would you think that I'm a mother!" Mimi darted back.

"Yeah, Matt. _Why?_!" Tai smirked, sensing one of Matt's stupid jokes coming along and decided to play with it.

" Ah…just thought she'd be pregnant," he shrugged casually.

" Matt, you're disgusting!" Mimi glared giving him hard punch on the arm. " We haven't done anything _that _serious yet! And if we did…you still shouldn't judge me like that!"

Tai spoke thoughtfully, or more like sheepishly, "Yeah, not yet. But in the future, I'd better be the father, Then we'll name him Taichi Junior. If it's a girl…hmm…we'll name her Tairietta-."

Mimi interrupted him with a hard hit in the stomach, muttering, " Idiot!"

Sora laughed. Matt smiled even more. And Tai was trying to sustain his laughter by tending to his stomach that had been hit by his partner.

" We've only been going out for a month! What do you think of me? Some slut-"

" No saying words like _that_, dear," Tai chuckled, patting her on the head.

It was always like this. Matt and Tai (even Sora at times) would have fun teasing Mimi and watching her get infuriated…It was utter enjoyment. Not that they had anything against her, they just thought it was funny to see her get pissed off so easily.

She pouted and glared angrily at them all. " Typical! All of you ganging up on me like that!"

" I wasn't in on this, this time," Sora waved her hands in the air, " It was them!"

"Aww…come on Meems, I was just kidding," Tai exclaimed then put the blame onto the person next to him. " _Not like Matt_…"

"Put it all on me. Traitor," Matt rolled his eyes as he watched his brunette friend put his arm over his girlfriend.

" Let's just watch the movie now…okay baby?"

"I'm not a sook," she gave him a greasy. " Don't call me baby!"

"Ahh…I'd better get going then. Don't wanna disturb the two of you, " Sora laughed. " I need to go home and help my mom with the florist shop. It's Mother's Day so we're expecting lots of customers!"

" You sure you don't wanna come, Sor?" Tai asked.

"I'm fine with it," she said as she began walking away from them. " I'll see you all tomorrow!"

" How bout you, Matt! You comin' my man?" Tai turned to him.

"Nuh…don't want to trail along people making out. Kind of sickens me at times, if you know what I mean," he jeered.

" Then…perhaps you should walk Sora home," Mimi smiled. " Not safe to walk alone you know? Keep her company."

" I was planning to do that," Matt shrugged. " Have fun, you two! Don't get too naughty…"

"_Whatever_," Tai rolled his eyes as his friend departed.

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The two walked down the streets of Odaiba in silence, until Yamato couldn't take it anymore. He needed to know…

" Sora…"

She looked up at him.

" You've been quieter than usual, the past weeks," he proceeded to talk. What he was saying was the truth. Sora was just about to open up and be more like 'herself' the girl that he used to know a couple of weeks back. But lately…she didn't speak as much and was more distant than usual. She'd laugh along with their jokes and so forth, but she wasn't kidding anyone. It was more than clear that she was hiding something.

" If you don't want to tell me…just tell me some other time, okay?"

" Why…are you walking me to the stall?" this time she stared directly into his eyes, unafraid…with a strange sense of confidence in wanting to know what Matt's intentions was.

" Well, Mimi sort of reminded me that it was Mother's Day and how I hadn't gotten a present for my mum yet," he responded back with a lie…he could have sworn Sora appeared more numb as her gaze shifted to the ground, kicking pebbles on the footpath. Truthfully, Yamato just wanted to walk her home…

" Are you getting your mum anything?" he looked straight ahead, knowing that in time they'd arrive at their destination.

" I already got her something," she replied coldly. Immediately Matt glanced back at the auburn headed girl in surprise. It had been such a long time he had heard Sora sound so cold. Even though the past weeks she rarely spoke anymore, at least her words carried some sense of warmth in them. He didn't understand why her tone had suddenly changed.

He didn't know if it was best to talk or not, but he felt a tingle of relief when he observed a long group of customers waiting for the florist stall to be open.

" Just wait out with them," she instructed as she eyed all the people and becoming a little bit stressed, " I need to change out of my uniform and open the shop!"

"Sure," Yamato said.

He watched her unlock the store and close the door behind her, placing the 'back in 5 minutes' sign on, making the chattering crowd groan.

He shrugged to himself, knowing it was best to head for the end of the line since it was evident that there were people waiting much longer before him. He smiled as he noticed that there were people of all ages lining up to enter the shop. A pair of twins, no younger than seven years old, was paired with their father. It also seemed as if a boy about ten years old had dragged his friend with him and looked pretty embarrassed lining in front of a florist shop, it made him laugh. Sort of reminded himself of how he and Tai hated shopping on mother's day because they hated getting caught in any store that had 'pink.' Though…he did find it quite suspicious of how two mothers ( he could tell because each had a child holding their hands) were in front of him and couldn't control himself and out of boredom to listen to their conversation.

" Helena! This is going to take a long time, waiting here! Haha…I still can't believe we're doing this!"

" That's true! It's like a habit some sort of tradition by now…buying mum a present on Mother's Day. Can't wait for my children to be older and receive gifts from them," her sister giggled.

" Mama…what are we doing?" one of the children asked curiously.

" We're getting your grandmamma a Mother's day present."

" Mother's Day?"

" It's like your birthday. We Mummies have our own special day…"

" I see," the child smiled, and suddenly gave his mum a kiss. " That's my present to you."

Matt grinned. Children always had a sense of innocence and happiness to him. He remembered nursing Takeru when he was younger…and how Takeru was as close in becoming defined to innocent that no one could claim his title. He wondered what TK would be getting their mother…He already had a strong feeling that TK's present would be much better than his considering his brother had a creative side – especially in writing. _A poem? Yes, that's what TK would do for mum_, he thought.

He realized that he was being pulled to the older woman's conversation yet again. He felt rather giddy listening to their conversation….but when he word them utter the name 'Takenouchi' in it…he couldn't help but listen to what they had to say.

" It's always been this same store we'd buy the flowers for mum from. The Takenouchi's have the best florist stall in town. And to see how that girl continues to bring its name all by herself…"

" What do you mean, Helena!" the woman queried. " What about her mother! Isn't she part of the business? Or did she leave all the work to her daughter?"

"No…off course not! – "

Matt inched closer to hear what they had to say.

" Ms. Takenouchi would _never_ do that to her daughter," she spoke and then continued. " Because…about three weeks ago…"

" What happened? Don't leave me hanging!" the other person exclaimed in suspense.

_Yeah, that's right…don't leave me hanging too_ Yamato thought.

" Three weeks ago…I heard from Susanna that the poor girl's mother died from cancer," she revealed in a hushed husky voice.

" Poor girl…she sure is strong…she acts as if nothing has happened…"

Matt stood there in astonishment. Could it be true?

"That's right," Matt spoke quietly to himself with a sharp frown… " _She acts like **nothing**_ _has happened…"_

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	6. Fragments of Memories: Chapter Five

Last Edited17.12.o5

Written: 16.o7.o5

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Digimon, but by now…you should know that I **do **own this story. Please don't steal these ideas because they are precious to me, for I have put my own saying and feeling to every word I write in this chapter…and some of the events in these stories are _based on (some part) of my life_. _© Flipstahhz_

¤ - ×- ×- ×- × - × - × - × - ×- ×- × - ¤

**Do You Still Think of Me?**

**PART ONE – Fragments of memories**

Chapter Five

By _Flipstahhz_

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"You **should **have told us!" he roared, then demanded, " _Why didn't you!"_

_How did he know!_

She shriveled back. Her bottom lip trembled, eyes widening as she stared at the male in front of her in aghast. He frightened her. She had never seen him this angry… **_ever_**

It was rare to catch Yamato acting so fierce…especially to her. Sure, she had seen him been furious before…but she never expected him to show this emotion to her…he had always treated her differently…

She could feel his eyes piercing directly at her. Her back hung lower as she played with a rose, between her slim fingers, behind the counter of the empty stall. He was the last in line, the last one she was to serve before she closed the store. She hadn't expected _him_ to find out… But she knew she'd have to face either her friends about the truth eventually.

But she wasn't ready…she didn't want to be ready for the confrontation. She was a coward.

She watched as he ran his hand through his sandy colored hair, through a stressed gesture, pondering what words would come next out of his mouth.

" Sora!" he said bitterly then began to almost yell out in rage, " _Why_ did you hide it from all of us! _How_ could you keep something this big to yourself! How could you **suffer **this all this pain by yourself? We….Mimi, Tai and I…we **are** your friends. We'd want a fair chance to help you out!"

She didn't want to stare at him. She could feel her whole body trembling as she proceeded to fiddle with the scarlet rose between her fingers. Even though her eyes were on the rose, she wasn't even noticing that she was stabbing the thorns into her fingers….unaware of the thin lines of blood oozing out of the open cuts.

" Sora…don't," he cried out. " Just don't you ever do this to yourself again. I know how it's like to hide things…and hiding it causes more pain. It raptures you and slowly takes away who you are. Doing … _this _…you think you're causing everyone else to worry. Let them worry. They deserve the chance to. **I**-_we_ care about you! But taking those things out on yourself…you should never do _that…_I don't want you getting hurt!"

" Matt – …" she finally broke out, but then she began to shiver, shiver from the emotion in his anger that was pouring out to her.

" Sora….I'm sorry…I didn't meant to get all worked up over that. It's just…that I _care _too much for you…as a friend and all. I'm real sorry about your mother…"

To her surprise, his tone became softer than the words he had rambled out earlier. She relaxed, the tension turning languid. For the first time it felt as if all her shield was broken down. It was as if she had nothing to hide anymore…except her feelings for him…

She began to cry. She hated crying…she thought she was over it all…not crying at her mother's funeral…or when she was revealed to her death. After staying strong from that, she was still prone to tears. It made her feel weak. Out of all times, why did she decide to cry in front of Yamato? Knowing this made her collapse into even more sobs. Not the silent sobs…the painful chockfull ones…the ones that happened when you felt extreme sorrow.

" I….I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled so madly at you back then…without thinking," he repeated his apology sincerely. There was nothing else he thought he could do at the time…so he embraced her tightly. She simply needed a shoulder to cry on. She _needed _him. And this was what he could only offer towards her condolences.

" No Matt…It's not your fault…_not at all_," Sora whispered lightly, eyes pink from the tears. " I just…never expected things to turn out like this. I was taking life for granted –."

"We all do…". She believed him.

They remained silent for a while, as she chocked, crying more into his embrace until she stopped…she released herself from his arms.

" If it's okay to ask, is this the secret you've been hiding all this time?" her asked, not staring at her. His eyes were now scrutinized at the wall behind her.

She nodded.

"Then you'd better not keep any other secrets, like this, from us…or me…you should have at least told someone. Even Mimi. Isn't she your best friend?"

"But you know now…" she replied. " How bout you…you've hidden secrets too…"

" I do," Matt responded. " But it's the simple ones of my parents divorcing. That was ages ago though…you probably would have known already…Plus, those get around town fast. Even those old fake magazines saying I sleep with any girl I come across. How sickening is that?"

"Yeah…"

" Let's get back to you." Matt shrugged, uncomfortable from speaking about himself. He wanted to know whether Sora was alright. " Next time you'd better tell me…or someone about your problems or tragedies, in this case. But about all this….you better tell Mimi and Tai soon. Just promise me –"

" Promise you _what_?"

" Promise me…to not go through unnecessary pain anymore."

" Sure. Just like our old promise," she simpered. " But you probably forgot it by now…"

"Forget what?" he questioned thoughtfully. " Is it that I'm not letting you give up on your dreams? About you becoming a clothes designer…."

"Yeah, that's right," she shrugged. " Don't know how you remembered. I thought–"

" How could I forget? And…I still think you should follow your dream sti-"

"I'm not going to…." She said uncomfortably. " It's too risky now…I'm going to become a nurse."

" A nurse? But don't you want to –."

" I know what I want, Yamato. I know that my dream was to be a fashion designer. But it's clearly unreachable! Do you know how hard it is and perfect you have to be to get into that course! It's impossible!"

"But…you can't give up," he objected. " You can't give up like that…"

"You've always been a dreamer," she sighed tiredly. She was in no mood of having useless verbal fights with him. Complaining with Yamato wasn't what she intended…but she wanted to express her point of view. " Sure, some dreams always are fulfilled. But not every dream becomes accomplished."

"What do you mean?"

" I mean that I thought it was wrong that I leave my mother's business …so I'm continuing it for her. And I need the money to pay off for my schooling … and I want to practical. I want to spend the money on something that will possibly work out in my future."

" Is that why you want to be a nurse? Because it's practical?" he clicked the pieces together.

" Yeah, in those terms. I guess," she replied with a hint of confusion in the way she spoke back.

" You aren't even sure! You've got to learn to take risks, Sora."

"Yamato, please! Don't worry…after all…all the subjects I've chosen are medically related and I also have no design subjects. I'm taking chemistry, biology, human development-"

He interrupted, not caring about the subjects she was listing to him. " But …it still won't make you happy. Because you want to be a fashion designer…."

" You're so stubborn! You and your stupid dreams," she exclaimed waving her hands in the air. " Who cares if I'm not happy! Dreamers…don't get anywhere in life-"

"But you'll be unhappy. If you try…you never know what will be the outcome of it."

"Stop it, Yamato! I don't care if I'll be unhappy!" she said, " Stop trying to convince me!"

" I can't," he smirked. " Then I'd be breaking my promise to you over five years ago."

"You and your bloody promises," she rolled her hazelnut-shaded eyes. " You probably aren't even going to continue your dream anyway…

" That's where you got me wrong," he mumbled. " I'm still taking music up…"

"Fine. It's I who will break our 12-year-old promise then. God Matt…that was _years_ ago! Why do you even care?"

" Cause I do," he shrugged. " I'd better get going…need to get home, greet my mother a Happy Mother's Day and –"

"Don't forget this," Sora Takenouchi handed him the rose she somehow still had mangled in her hand. " Free of charge."

" Thanks," he smiled. " Guess I still am a cheapo…"

"Yeah," she laughed. " Just think of it as thanks for … well… today and hearing me out…though you found out yourself."

"No problem. But you didn't really need to get me anything," Matt said as he dug his hands into the uniform blazer's pocket. " Here."

She accepted the handkerchief. After all the trauma, laughter and discussion about dreams…he still realized that she was bleeding…

"Thanks for everything, Yama," she said rather thankfully.

He strolled to the door and suddenly came to a halt.

" What….what now?" Sora queried, hands on her hips.

"You called me _Yama_," he stated with another smile tugging on his lips. " You haven't named me that in a long time…"

" Guess my old bad habit is coming back," she mocked, sticking her tongue out.

She continued to watch him exit the store, hearing the bell chimes from the door, as he lifted his left hand behind him with a wave.

The ice had _finally_ broken...

¤ - ×- ×- ×- × - × - × - × - ×- ×- × - ¤

**2006 (a year later – final year of schooling)**

For the four people of the small clique, the year had flashed by so quickly and they all found themselves being year 12 students, accomplishing their final year at school. As seniors, they barely had time to hang out with each other. Everything was so hectic and busy…and all they did was study.

Tai was the slackest amongst all of them and it seemed he still focused on playing soccer more than studying. But to their surprise, even though he was slacking off, he managed to get straight A's for his legal studies class and the teacher kept on recommending that he was to be a lawyer. Mimi, on the other hand, was suddenly acing all her cooking classes, though she still wasn't particularly sure what she wanted to do when she left school.

Matt still took music classes, still firm that he wanted a career that had anything to do with music.

_And Sora_…

She still wanted to be a nurse. She was probably the one that concentrated on her studies the most out of the four. She took up many science subjects, but secretly had time to sit back and design some clothing…

When she finished designing and finalizing the product, she sneaked it into her bag into the design tech. class for the teacher to view. She wanted a professional opinion on what she had made.

So here she was…watching the teacher carefully.

"My _my_," the teacher muttered as she held the dress and carefully observed every view of the formal wear. " This is spectacular. Absolutely beautiful."

She could feel her cheeks turn a violent shade of pink. She gained her composure. " You think so, Ms. Chambers?"

" Why, of course so dear! All I do is tell the honest truth when it comes to magnificent types of clothing!" the teacher brightly beamed at the young woman. " From the stitches to the material you chose…it's hard work and very original. I'd be giving you an A plus if you took this class!"

Sora turned back to the dress she had made, from a different type of light. The jet black dress was made of silk, a criss-cross pattern at the back, and it was a halter neck that tied around her neck twice that made it look as if she was wearing a choker. It wasn't completely plane nor was it too fancy.

" Dear," the woman sighed. " I still don't understand why you didn't take this class. You would have been great!"

"Thanks, Ms…but you don't have to be-"

"I'm simply telling the truth, Sora!" the teacher exclaimed. " I know that you want to be a nurse, even after I told you last year that this subject would be great for you. And…"

The teacher's tone became softer and more approachable. " And whenever you make something again, I'd be ecstatic if you do show me, so I can also help you with anything you need assistance with. Continue doing the great work!"

" Thanks, Ms. Chambers," Sora said gratefully. " I really needed your opinion on this one."

"You're welcome Ms. Takenouchi. Come back soon!"

The two exchanged goodbyes as Sora strolled out of the design room feeling rather glad and proud of herself for gaining the courage to even talk to Ms. Chambers about what she had created.

As she continued to walk down the corridor of her school, she felt rather strange since she the corridor was very empty and spacious. Usually, when she took this route of the school, the corridor was crowded tightly with students that you had to hold your breath to be able to slip through and get across the other side of where you wanted to go.

Her eyes continued to gaze at the rooms she walked by, and realized she was still pacing down the 'art' section of the school. She saw the drama class, and gave a quiet snigger. She was never good at the subject, if she wanted to pursue acting she'd have made into a mortifying actress. She laughed freely to none other but herself. She stared at the next room, which was the photography dark room. It reminded her of how Tai was bragging with pride of his younger sister and how her piece of artwork had made it to one of the top secondary student's photographs in Odaiba.

Suddenly her mind was interrupted with the loud beat that boomed out of the music room. Sora thought that she'd be the only student at school, her assumption was obviously incorrect. But…_who_ would want to stay after the school hours?

She became suspicious, and peered around to see what was happening in the room. A soft smile pressed on her lips, as she spied into the room. She should have expected it.

There she was Yamato in the room, with a couple of his old band members – Brian & Kent. Jay was the only member t hat was lacking from the crew that afternoon.

Yamato was singing as he strummed his electric guitar, Bri was pounding the drums as if there were no tomorrow…while Kent was letting his fingers run up and down the keyboard in tremendous speed and skill.

From the looks of things, they weren't playing seriously. They were just having a good time, and a good catch up. She did recall Matt saying that music was a way to handle stress and she understood that everyone would be stressed with the amount of homework, exams and tests they'd been having lately. Music was his way of relaxing. Even though the form of relaxation was _extremely_ loud…

"Never gonna stop, give it up, such a dirty mind. I always get it up for the touch of the younger kind," he sang out loud, "My, my, my, aye-aye, whoa! _M-m-m-my Sharona!_"

She laughed when she heard Yamato sing the words really loud with evident mockery towards the classical song.

The song they were playing was a classic. She gave a smile, and walked past the room…already sure that they wouldn't notice her. If Matt was going to continue to pursue his dream…

_Maybe she should…_

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**Song Used – **My Sharona ;D haha


	7. Fragments of Memories: Chapter Six

Last Edited: 17.12.o5

Written: 14.o8.o5

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Digimon, but by now…you should know that I **do **own this story. Please don't steal these ideas because they are precious to me, for I have put my own saying and feeling to every word I write in this chapter…and some of the events in these stories are _based on (some part) of my life_. _© Flipstahhz_

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**Do You Still Think of Me?**

**PART ONE – Fragments of memories**

Chapter Six

By _Flipstahhz_

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**Towards end of 2006**

The typical loud chattering of the teenagers filled the overly crowded school cafeteria. Amongst the pools of pupils, a pair of females sat in a table in the corner at the far end where it 'supposedly' was less crowded. The two nibbled on their food rather quietly than usual.

Out of the pair, there sat a girl with sleek flared auburn hair. In contrast her friend had long wavy chestnut locks that was half held back with a lilac clip. Two other males were lacking from their small clique. It had been like this for the past weeks…none of them ever had time to sit together during lunchtime considering the school kept bombarding them with practice exams, in preparation for the real ones. Currently it was Yamato and Tai who were using their lunchtime for last minute studying in the library.

Sora Takenouchi proceeded in hungrily chewing down her sandwich, though her eyes were focused in darting in numerous directions with a glazed look. Mimi Tachikawa seemed fed up with the lonely silence and finally decided to muster up a conversation with her.

"You still daydream. Don't you?" She knew her friend too well.

" I guess so," as soon as Sora had stepped back to reality, she responded. " …just thinking that we're going to leave this place. It's happened so fast. I'm just thinking of the memories we all shared here…"

" You're always thinking of the past. You dwell to the past because you're scared of facing the present," Mimi stated, replying a bit icily. There were many differences between the best friends. And this one was yet another exception. Sora always thought of the past. Mimi always had her mind in the present.

" I've always been like that," she protested.

" Not really. You weren't like this when we were much younger," Mimi shrugged. " Even with Yamato..."

Sora blinked. " What do you mean, Meems?"

" Oh, come on Sora! I'm not an idiot to not notice the way you stare at him," she glared. She was beginning to have enough with what Sora was doing to herself. She wasn't going to let her interfere with what she had wanted to tell her for the so many years that went by. " I'm _your_ best friend! You may have fooled me about your mother's death, last time…but I'd have to be completely blind to not know that you have feelings for him!"

Sora hadn't seen this furious side of Mimi for a long time, especially when Mimi's anger was pointing straight at her. She could never hide anything from Mimi…she'd find it either one way or another…or she probably would have known her secrets all along…

Mimi continued to lecture, " I don't know what's up with you! But you've gotta confess to him soon, cause he's taking darn long…and so are you! If he doesn't have feelings for you, which I doubt, he would tell you and you'd get over him…thinking of him everyday will get you no where! At least you'll have no regrets and know whether he loves you or not."

It all made complete sense, but Sora wasn't going to give in that easily. All she could do was deny…

" But…" she paused. " I need to find myself first. I don't want to get into something really reckless when I don't even know –"

" Stop abiding the rules, and take a risk _for once_! Stop staying on the safe side, you'll get nowhere, I'm telling you! I seriously have never met anyone so stubborn in my life!" Mimi declared in annoyance.

" It's like back in primary school! I thought you would have learnt by now…of how you made the mistake by not telling him your true feelings. And now…_now_ you're about to cause yourself all this grief all over again…and you'll break even more…" Mimi whispered, tears flooding her vision. She was trying her best to talk sense into her struggling friend. " Mistakes. You make mistakes to learn from them, not to do them again. I won't let you. Not this time…I know you've been through enough. I won't let you go through _this_ all over again."

Sora stared at Mimi, realizing that she had caused grief to her friend as well. She thought it was only her that was carrying the burden; she didn't realize that what she was doing affecting other special people to her as well.

" I'm sorry…"

" Don't say it unless you mean it," Mimi snapped, gaining back her strong firm composure.

" I do…I seriously didn't mean to make you cry. Cry over something hopeless…"

" There you again! Thinking lowly of yourself. I'm literally tired with you being such a bitch," Mimi spat, but realized that Sora had been struck by her words. At least something hit home, but she felt guilty for insulting her companion. " I didn't mean- "

"No, I deserved that. I deserved it that time," it was Sora's turn to cut Mimi off.

The two stayed silent a bit, suddenly realizing that the bell had already rang and people were heading for their classes. The once crowded cafeteria had become empty. And it was only them that remained in the solitary surrounding of left over trash of scattered cling wrap and fruit juice boxes either on the floor or tables.

" You really love him…_that bad?_ " her voice seemed as if it echoed in the empty space.

" I'd be dreaming if he actually loved me back."

" You can make dreams a reality," Mimi replied optimistically. " You just have to work hard on it, then you'll surely achieve your goal."

" Dreams and reality?" Sora gave a quirky smile. " You're just like _him_…"

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**Graduation Assembly (still 2006)**

"I'm glad I got into my course," Taichi grinned as he leaned back onto the hard seat. " I see no use in being in this assembly when my future is all planned out for me."

"Cocky."

"Shut up, Matty-boy," Tai jeered. " You still haven't told me what you're going to do…"

" Well," Yamato started. " I wanted to become a music composer. But I needed a higher score for music. So I guess I'm a bit disappointed. I'm still fine with it all considering there are other music occupations out there."

" That's true. But you'd better think of one soon," his friend warned him. " Before they're all taken, that is."

"Yes, I know. How bout Mimi, did she get what she wanted?"

" She hasn't told me yet," Tai frowned. " But I'm sure she got a high score for her exams. Talking about high scores….Sora? Damn!"

" Haha," Yamato laughed, knowing what he was going to say next.

" High score! She got dux! Damn…what a smart ass," Tai said rather enviously. " Even better for her….you're going to confess! She'll be so overjoyed that a smile will be plastered on her face for eternity!"

" What makes you think that?" Yamato questioned. " That I'll confess to her?"

" I thought," he raised an eyebrow. " That you were saving up this final opportunity for her…but I guess I was wrong…"

He ran his fingers down his blond hair, " Hmm. She's not ready."

" And that _mean_…?"

" How can I when she hasn't even found herself yet. She's changed from the last time…she's still different," he sighed. " I want what's the best for her. And confessing to her, right now, is out of the question. Especially when she's so vulnerable at the moment. If she can't tell the difference between following her dreams and reality…then I don't think she'd want me."

Tai knew, that no matter what he was going to say to convince him that he was wrong about Sora, Matt would have a stern reason against it. It was thickly drawn out.

" But you're not going to give up on her?"

" No," Yamato said. " No way. I've waited this long, and I know I can wait _longer_…"

Tai's gaze stared at his friend for a moment, amazed and admired by his strong will…the strong will that he hadn't realized out of all the years knowing him, he had finally took account to. But it took one long enough to fully break…

" Yap yap yap yap," Yamato grumbled tediously staring at the person they had been talking over the whole time.

" …it's been an honor having all you students at our school. You've all matured and will soon to be facing the adult business world."

A couple of students groaned at the remark.

A balding man on the stage gave the typical '_end of school year speech'_ addressed to the whole school, but mainly towards the graduates of 2oo6. As he read the words his twinkling eyes danced towards each student with pride of watching each of them grow. He gave a tiny smirk when he saw two older teenage boys at the back of the hall, still engaged in a private conversation.

He scratched his head. " And I see Mr. Kamiya and Mr. Ishida are still chattering at the back. But unfortunately, I can't offer them another detention."

The two boys felt their classmates stare at them and begin to snigger. They laughed.

" We'll miss you too, Mr. Landon!" Tai exclaimed loudly to their old history teacher. " We love you!"

"Damn straight!" Yamato added with a smirk.

" Guess some things never change," the aging man chuckled.

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**Graduation Party Night**

" Slow down, Tai!" Mimi demanded in a frightened tone, from the back seat of the convertible car.

The four were driving into the night. Stars glimmered vibrantly against the painted ebony sky. The strong chilly blistery breeze hit them at all directions as they sped around the curbs of Odaiba, heading to where the celebration was situated. Tonight would be the time of their lives…

Yamato leaned back against the familiar leather interior as he felt the wind rush through his golden hair, reflected from the moonlight. He sighed in relief. It was all over.

_He felt free…_

Free from exams. Free from stress. From the looks of things, they had nearly arrived at their venue for the evening. He glanced at the side mirror to see Sora looking rather uncomfortable, seeing her fidgeting with her fingers. It then struck him that this was probably one of her first times to be in a party…with no adults. _She didn't know what to expect…_Sora was a virgin to the scene.

He understood now. She was going to be faced with drunks, alcohol, being picked up and loud trashing music that could bust your eardrums. He recalled that she never rocked up to teenage parties, until now. He was pretty sure that Mimi influenced her to come along since they had all graduated high school. Suddenly, he felt the urge not to want to reveal her to this side… To him, she was still innocent…

He **had** to keep an eye on her. He _knew_ that he'd end up being left and taking care of her cause he could picture Taichi and Mimi hitching off somewhere by themselves. He felt uneasy and unsure. Hell, this was the first time he had felt unsure…especially when it came to partying. The last time he remembered he went out and partied was back in year ten since he had considered that he would focus on studying in his senior years. And now his senior years were over. _Of course_ he had to party!

He wouldn't drink. Well…perhaps he wasn't going to let himself get drunk, maybe just a bit tipsy will do him some good. He smirked, another memory triggering in his mind. His brother, Takeru – TK, was always sticking to good morals and had once told him that 'you didn't need alcohol to get high'. But he didn't want to get high…no…if he wanted to get high, he'd go on x or something like that. Though, this wasn't the case. All he wanted to do was to celebrate _finally_ finishing schooling.

The vehicle came to a halt, and immediately the foursome jumped out of it. As they reached the front porch of the house, a younger boy jogged towards them.

" Taichi, Yamato…._heeyyy_!"

Tai stared at the almost-identical-hair-to-himself newcomer with a toothy grin. " Hey Daisuke, why are you here?"

" This is my house. Jun's in charge of the party since our parents are overseas," Daisuke Motomiya put on a face. " She sort of kicked me out…so I'm just going to hangout at your brother's – TK's - house, till tomorrow."

" I see, say hi to Teeks for me," Yamato said.

" Sure."

After exchanging goodbyes, Daisuke departed from the small group. Mimi, Tai, Matt and Sora entered the Motomiya household and instantly had to squeeze their way through the overflowing tons of people. Within seconds the four had become a two.

Yamato muttered a curse under his breath as he realized that he was stuck with Sora. He didn't intend to be with her this early in the night, he suspected that Mimi would be the one to help her settle in the heated atmosphere. But then again, they were separated due to the limit in space in the house…so he couldn't really blame anyone. Perhaps it was simply the fact that he didn't want to face Sora just as yet…

"…your name?"

" It's Sora," she replied over the booming speakers.

Yamato frowned. Right under his nose, he hadn't noticed the stoned looking guy trying to pick Sora up. She was too naïve that she didn't even realize what this guy was attempting to do.

He sickly eyed as the man let his arm rest around her shoulder and leaned closely to her. He could see her flushed cheeks becoming three shades darker and could see her jaw tighten rigidly.

" So…do you want to go upstairs," he whispered roughly into her ear. He chuckled as he could feel her body quivering a bit. " That's hot…you're shaking…"

This time, Yamato decided it was best if he intruded. He let the man's body meet his hard fists a couple of times, then sent him blows in the face. This was Matt's reality, and how to deal with it. He had learnt a while back what to do in situations such as these…

But Yamato didn't understand why he didn't step to assist Sora out earlier…did he intentionally want Sora to get hurt as a punishment because she was taking to long to figure herself out?

He was angry…he was angry that his mind could lead to such corruptness. He let his anger and guilt fly through more punches that he laid onto the guy, until his arm was held back.

" Yamato! **Stop**!" she yelled in panic.

He blinked. His arm trembling still, as he placed it down. He felt her grip let go of him. He stared down at her, piercing eyes filled with strife and he could see that she was scrunching up her hands so hard that her fingers almost turned white. She was staring at him in a different light. He could sense it…almost taste it in his lips.

_Sora was scared of him…_

He couldn't stand to see her stare at him like this. He felt dirty standing next to her…he didn't deserve her. He knew he did something wrong…but if he hadn't done it…that man would have had hurt her. Yet Sora gazed at him as if it were he who did the mistake. He didn't want to face her sorrowful eyes. Somehow he had failed her expectations.

He turned around and walked away from her.

Yamato walked through the gaps of the crowded house, seeing nothing but blurred faces. He suddenly saw someone that he knew.

" Kent!" he called to one of his old band members.

" What's up, Matt? Haven't seen you for a while!"

" Yeah," he mumbled and spotted the full plastic cup of alcohol in his friend's hand.

" Mind if I drink that…?"

" Sure. I'll fetch myself more," Kent said care freely and handed the cup to Yamato. " In fact, I might as well get some now. Be right back, man."

The blond headed boy watched Kent disappear into another room of the overcrowded Motomiya house. He stared glumly at the liquid, and didn't seem to care when he noticed that something in the drink started to fizz. He swigged it all down within seconds and felt the cold liquid slither down his throat. It was strong stuff…

Out of the blue, he thought he was delirious as he saw Sora walk towards him.

He gave a lopsided grin.

After he had been an ass, _why did she follow him?_!

An hour went by, he wasn't sure what he was doing. He had been walking around rather dizzily speaking to many of his classmates, wishing them all the best for the future as he'd swig down one drink after another. The whole time, he could feel Sora at his side trailing behind him. For once, he didn't want her to be there. He didn't want her to see this idiotic side of him…he wanted her to leave after what a fool he had been earlier.

He vision was becoming blurry. He knew the alcohol was finally kicking in. Inwardly he was jeering himself on. He was just about to fetch Tai and Mimi to go home, knowing that was what Sora had wanted ever since arriving at the party.

" S-Sora! Let's go now!" he could feel his voice slurring coarsely. Without hesitation he let his arm fall around her waist as they walked towards another crowded room of the Motomiya residence.

" You've drank too much," she commented seriously. He could feel her body shift uncertainly.

Yamato was just about to deny it when he felt his body droop more onto her for support. He leaned towards her ear and whispered in a husky tone, " I don't care, at least I'm holding you…"

Her body stiffened, eyes widening. His hand was slowly sliding down her waist…

_What was he doing?_

To her surprise she watched him drop onto the floor and begin to vomit. She shook her head to herself. It seemed like he was her responsibility for now. She scooped his arm and tried to drag him up the staircase towards one of the bedrooms. Luckily, Kent had met them on the way and offered a hand of assistance in getting his friend into the closest empty bedroom.

Soccer posters painted over the textured wallpaper as male clothing scattered messily on the floorboards. They chucked the rather limp body onto the mattress. From his appearance, it seemed as if he was going to become unconscious at any moment. They could see that he was breathing rapidly as beads of sweat drenched his golden locks of hair.

" What happened to him?" Kent queried in worry. "He's the type of drunk that blabbers the truth…He usually doesn't get drunk _this bad_…"

" I'm not so sure…" she let her right arm overlap her slim figure. Her face was pale.

Yamato somehow managed to slur out," I'm f-f-ine."

" Fool," Kent shook his head at the boy who was currently sprawling in the bed. " Get some rest, dick –"

" I think…s-someone s-spiked t-the dri-nk you ga-ave me," Yamato muttered through his dry throat. He tilted his head on Daisuke's pillow, shutting his eyes. " I feel like sh-shit."

" Shit…That was supposedly meant for me. Damn, sorry…ahh…I need to get help, I'll get Jun and see what we can do to help y-"

" We need to call an ambulance," Sora exclaimed in nervousness. " Who in hell knows what drug could have been slipped in the drink! It's dangerous. He needs a checkup asap!"

" _Hell no_!" Kent glared. " If we do that, they'll arrest Jun or something. She's not even eighteen yet! She can't get caught hosting a party when she's underage and her parents are miles away."

"Then what can we do!"

" Sit tight…I'll get some help…just look after him. Maybe strip his shirt off, he's heating up," Kent ordered and out of urgency, ran out of the room seeking for help.

Letting an unsteady sigh escape her lips she did as she was told and slipped Yamato's shirt over his head, revealing his naked skin. She shuddered at the red patches over his body. She was supposed to be a nurse, and she didn't know what the hell to do to save him. She exhaustedly sat at the foot end of the bed, thinking only about how helpless she felt. Sora didn't know whether he was unconscious or not. Her gaze lifted from Yamato's sickly body to the new person who had entered the room.

"Fuck!" the new figure yelled. She punched on of the walls." What the hell am I supposed to now? Crap –"

" Jun, calm down!" Kent screamed back, appearing behind her.

" You don't understand if I get caugh-."

" Who gives a fuck if you get caught!" Sora swore. She rarely swore… " It's Yamato! What's going to happen to Yamato?"

" Stay overnight," Jun said. " I know it's risky, but we can't go to the hospital just yet. He doesn't seem that bad."

" _Doesn't seem_? Are you insane?"

" I'm fine," a voice popped into the conversation.

This time, Yamato's voice sounded more like himself and was strong, not slurring.

Kent went to his friend's side and felt his forehead, " You seem to be cooling down…maybe you're all right…I'll get some icepacks."

It seemed as if the panic atmosphere had evaporated into thin air. But apparently for Sora, it was a different thing.

" There is no way in hell that he's leaving! He's not in the state…he needs to be in bed –."

" Fine. Then he can sleep in Daisuke's bed till the morning," Jun said simply.

" I'll stay and look after him…"

" Sora, I'm alright," he said stubbornly. " It was just a little phase that went quickly. I'll be fine."

" Yamato, **I don't care**. I'm staying here to make sure you won't be getting out of bed and to watch you make a full darn recovery!" her eyes pierced down at his lying figure.

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It was approximately one thirty in the morning. She blinked. She had slept on her watch when she was supposed to be taking care of Yamato. Even worse, she had found out that she had been sleeping right next to his bare chest. Sora gulped uncomfortably realizing that their heads were centimeters apart.

His azure eyes opened wide.

Startled, she almost rolled off the bed. She hadn't expected that he'd be awake. He chuckled. But there was something in the chuckle that made her realize that he wasn't his usual sane self. This wasn't the Yamato she knew. She knew that whatever had been slipped in his drink, was still affecting him. The auburn headed teenage girl sat up.

" Hey Sorr," he chuckled. He shifted into a sitting position behind her. He swiftly let his arms wrap around her body in a warm embrace. He still reeked of bitter alcohol.

She shivered. She loved him. Her heart seemed to be overwhelmed by how long she'd wanted to be in his arms. Sora felt a false sense of security, she didn't want him to let go. _Now I certainly know that I can and never will get over him…_

She was off guard. She didn't know how to react, what to do. She didn't know whether this was the drunk Yamato, or the normal one. She didn't know the difference. Who would when Yamato was an unpredictable person, always hiding his emotions…just like herself…

" Matt…" she whispered. She wanted to cry. She wanted him to stop playing with her heart. She had finally accepted that they weren't meant to be together, but why was he making it much _harder_?

" I want to stay like this. Holding you forever," he said wistfully. " You don't know how much I love you…"

The words that Kent spoke earlier struck her.

_He's the type of drunk that blabbers the truth…_

" Stop lying," she whimpered hopelessly. " How could someone like you…love…_me_?"

" Because," he said, arms still resting on her tense body. " _I always have_…"

She unlocked the embrace and lyed on the side of Daisuke's small bed. Aware of the warm tears rolling down her face, as the moonlight sparkled onto their bodies from the window.

_Why couldn't Yamato just leave her alone?_

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He got up with a start. He felt a bit light headed and scurried out of bed when he realized that he had gotten drunk. He yawned and stared at the bed he had slept on. He almost jumped in shock when he saw **_her_** snoozing there.

In suspicion he cursed when he realized that his top was off.

_What had he done! Had he…_

No…he couldn't have. He couldn't have been that drunk that he slept with Sora. _Then why…_

Why were Sora's clothing mingled with Daisuke's dirty ones, on the ground?

A wave of guilt plunged into his stomach. He couldn't have been that drunk and lustful to do such a thing. He couldn't see himself hurting Sora…

This was his fault. And he didn't know what to make of it…

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	8. Prologue II

Last Edited: 17.12.o5

Written: 2o.o8.o5

**Disclaimer: This is the start to part II of do you still think of me. It will be very different from part one. **

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**Do You Still Think of Me?**

Prologue II

By _Flipstahhz_

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It's strange how time glides by so quickly. As many people put it, time goes terribly slow when you want it to go fast. And that time goes incredibly swift when you want it to slow down. I guess time is something that raptures through every living soul. Without time, there would be no life.

For me, the past four years have rolled on in its usual routine. But many things and experiences in these last four years have made me grown tremendously and have made me exposed to the real world. These experiences have also given me a stronger sense of independence and trust in myself…something I have always lacked.

I've learnt that grief will always be there…_and so will light_. It's just you as a person that's got to choose what you want to do with your life. And from all these mingled memories, I've moved on and I do my best not to dwell on my past…even if it's truly hard. Sure, there are times where all I can do is just break down…but that's when your friends come along and support you. And Mimi has been there for me almost every time I'm down, she's someone I can lean onto and carry my burdens with me…as I can do for her.

As I've said earlier, many things have happened. As I reach towards the adult age of twenty-two, I've achieved in accomplishing my nursing course while taking up a design technology class in my spare time. I don't even know how I managed to fulfill graduating as a nurse considering I completely detest blood.

One of the experiences that struck me hard was when I had to assist a surgeon in performing in the operating room at the hospital I was working at. I remember watching mechanical tools scrape down onto the patient's body, scarlet slimy droplets of blood oozing out of the open wound. My heart had beat so hard against my chest as I watched. I stayed there paralyzed and only moved when the surgeon instructed me to retrieve the specific tools needed for the operation. It was an emergency operation and we urgently were put into the position of attempting to save the patient from dying. Saving people was one of the many purposes of becoming a nurse, yet I felt quite disturbed and disgusted at the site. But the thing that touched me the most…was watching the surgeon shake his head…and knowing instantly that saving this person was impossible. The blood kept pouring out of his soon to be lifeless body. I watched helplessly as his soul vanished into oblivion.

Seeing someone die before my eyes, changed my life dramatically. It made me learn to love what you have and to be ever thankful for what you've got. There were other people out there who were suffering more than I was, and dwelling on something not as harsh as many other strident situations. It was just pitiful of me to be so selfish.

But when you've been caught up in the present, you know there are times when you've got to face the past again. The past is unavoidable. It's always there…._dragging onto your soul._

I recall, a week ago, arriving back to my apartment. I refrained myself from taking an immediate rest from the tiresome day. My eyes caught sight to the mail that was stacked neatly on top of each other in an array on the coffee table. I took the bunch into my hands and dropped onto the nearest chair. I tediously put aside the bills (contemplating that I would deal with the hassle them later) and found a cream envelope that contrasted against all the plane white ones. In fancy writing, my name was written. I decided this was worth a glimpse at so I took the invitation out of the envelope and began to read it to myself…

_Dearest Sora Takenouchi,_

_You are cordially invited to_

_**Taichi Kamiya and Mimi Tachikawa's Engagement Party**_

_on the on the 15th of October 2010._

Reading those words were enough for me.

_I **knew**_ _it!_

I was so glad that Tai had _finally_ managed to propose to Mimi after all the years they had been together. I laughed even more when I remembered having to pick up all those phone calls from Tai, who pleaded ideas of whether I thought Mimi would accept the proposal and how he should do it. It was all planned out well, from the looks of things. And Taichi didn't seem to need my assistance after all. I knew Mimi would have accepted the engagement ring either way. Their love was long lasting and could endure anything that would rip them apart.

That was when realization pierced me with a furious blow. I was in such a state of shock that I could suddenly feel my stomach tighten, my body was trembling, my eyes shut tightly as I shrunk back into the stiff hard wooden chair. It had been a while I had been _that_ scared.

I knew for sure that…**_he _**was going to be there.

It was all twisted and a complete coincidence that I was best friends with the bride, while he (on the other hand) was best friends with the groom.

I didn't know how I was going to react when I saw him. I was both excited and nervous about the whole ordeal. I hadn't seen Yamato for four years straight. And seeing him again might take such a toll on me. But I knew, for a fact, that I _had_ to come to terms that I'd face him one way or another…

Our pasts were linked. And avoiding the past was simply _impossible_. The last time I saw him was back at Taichi's 18th birthday party…a week after the graduation party. I guess I was still worried about him, but as I went up to him…he seemed distant…more quiet…unlike the person I had maintained our friendship with for those past two years. Through the whole party, it seemed like he was trying his best to avoid me. And the thing that hit me the most…was that he didn't even show a sign of happiness. Usually, if I was lucky, I'd catch a broad smile on his face…but most of the time he'd let a smirk appear on his features. But nothing…completely nothing was portrayed of happiness. I didn't understand. We were all friends now, and he seemed…like he had changed over the week…he seemed like another person…Perhaps it was because we were all taking separate paths now. But surely…there was something else I had missed.

The last thing I heard of him and his whereabouts was from Tai. Matt had moved out of Odaiba to Tamachi and was living there permanently until he finished his course in university. I didn't even know what course he was taking! I didn't know _anything_ of what he was doing…

But now…in the present, I had made myself accept that I may not ever see him again. But now the possibility is opened up…I **would** see him at Mimi and Tai's Engagement Party. And it was still scaring the hell out of me.

For certain, I knew I've moved on. I've lost my chances with him and I will never know if he had loved me back. As every new day drifts by…I still think of him…he keeps me living on as an inspiration…even though he didn't know of it.

_I've finally accepted…that I'd live my life and would **still**_ _love him_…

_Fin. Of Prologue II_

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	9. Picking up the Pieces: Chapter One

Last Edited: 24.12.o5

Written: 16.o9.o5

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**Do You Still Think of Me?**

**PART TWO – Picking up the fragments**

Chapter One

By _Flipstahhz_

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He was always there late in the evening. The place was like a second home to him.

His own sanctuary…

Ever since he had started the job, he decided that it was better if he'd stay back during peak hour until he'd be one of the few people in the place. It was peaceful and therapeutic being there. Shadows of the tree branches from outside flickered into the dimly lit room. He strummed the guitar. His bright searching eyes gazed the sky, painted dark blue with specks of stars sparkling on it. He didn't know how long he had been there, but it was much _longer_ than he usually did.

Perhaps it was because he was to face _everything_ once again. Physically, he knew he had grown…and it even sometimes scared him when he glanced in the mirror to see a beard. (Which he furiously would shave off…but clearly detested how fast the hair grew back on his chin). But…mentally…he _knew _he hadn't matured at all. His thoughts still remained the same. All he wanted to do was achieve in fetching a job in the music industry, which he had accomplished. He was a graduate from Tamachi University. He could have graduated at Odaiba Uni, but he wanted to get away from everything…also because the music courses in Tamachi were known to be much better than back in his hometown, Odaiba.

He thought moving to Tamachi would change him and make him stronger, but he was wrong. He had become more sensitive (even though he hated to admit it) and found himself constantly thinking of his past. There was no way he could forget it…and about _her…_ especially now that he was invited to Mimi and Tai's engagement party. It had to be karma hitting him. He let out a withered sigh. Thinking of Mimi and Tai's engagement made him feel queasy. He knew that he would have to face her sooner or later…

_How was she? Where did she live? Did she have any relationships or a special someone in her life? Was she a nurse…a florist or a fashion designer?_

It would take a fool not to notice that he still thought of her. He even would ask Mimi or Tai of how she was doing in the most 'unconcerned' way as possible, just to know how she was and if she was fine and doing well. At that time, he had thought that it was her that needed to think things out…now he wasn't too sure…it had to be **him** as well. They both weren't ready. Then again…how could he be so certain that she liked him in the first place.

Love or lust…whatever. He **_hated_** them both.

Shaking his head at all the thoughts rushing back into his mind, he decided it was time to push them aside. As noted earlier, music was his therapy. And perhaps this therapy could clear his mind from all this obsession and lustfulness. He strummed the first chord to the song, and everything clicked from there. He was to sing _her song_. His mouth opened, and the words fell out in place in the sweetest melody…

"_I'm sitting here_

_Thinking bout_

_How I'm gonna do without_

_You around, in my life, and how am I_

_I gon' get by_

_I ain't got no days_

_Just lonely nights_

_You want the truth?_

_Well girl I'm not alright_

_Feel out of place, and out of time_

_I think I'm gonna lose my mind_

_So tell me how you feel_

_Are you for real_

_Do you still think of me_

_Baby still ?_

_Do you dream of me at night_

_It's like a dream of you all the time_

_Sooo, lonely_

_oh let me tell you how it feels_

_Wish I was dreaming but its real_

_oh Let me tell you how it feels_

_I think that I will never love again"_

His lyrics faded away with the music. His eyes opened after having them tightly shut the whole time he had sung the song. He jolted when he had suddenly heard someone applauding from behind him. He was stunned.

_No one_ was supposed to be there at the late hour…

He lifted his gaze to meet one of his female students. She had long auburn hair, which was braided down to her waist, as her green emerald eyes stared intently at his direction with a pleasant smile curling on her lush pink lips. His heart leapt, the resemblance was uncanny. Well, not _identically_ uncanny…but the traits she carried were **so** similar to Sora…Sora Takenouchi. It scared him. He regained his composure almost immediately. He had become immune to it. You had to…if you were a teacher…

" Grace - "

" I'm sorry to have disturbed you, Mr. I!" she apologized interrupting him abruptly as she waved her palms out expected a lecture from the adult. She made herself comfortable as she sat on one of the keyboard stools in the music room, picked up some drumsticks and twirled them in between her fingers.

He stared at her questioningly.

The seventeen year old gave a casual shrug. " I heard you singing and playing the guitar when I walked by, just then. Couldn't resist hearing your rare performances. I could tell you were singing from your heart…it wasn't forced or anything. You sounded so pure…and it was so vivid how you explained the story and essence of the song."

Mr. Ishida smiled, he'd be lying to himself if he disagreed to her comments. " Yeah…I guess I was singing from my heart…_that time_…"

Even though Yamato hated to have his favorites, he couldn't help but resist making Grace as an exception of being brilliant. The girl was spectacular -one of his talented students that he had ever taught. Before he even had begun teaching in Tamachi Grammar School he already knew that she had surpassed his music skills a long time ago. He felt inferior and strange teaching Grace. Grace was a vocalist and the top saxophonist and pianist in the state. He accepted that he wouldn't get further than either being a music retail owner or music teacher, but he knew for sure that Grace had potential in _anything_ in the music industry. He was envious, but he knew she deserved it.

Grace was one of the few that took music seriously and chose 'his' subject out of love.. Whilst the other three quarters of the year eleven class just chose the subject because it was considered a 'bludge.' This challenge enticed Yamato. He thought of many ways to get his class enthusiastic and intrigued by the beauty of music. He made them all work hard by going thoroughly through all of the genres of music there were known to be. It was a success. Particularly almost every student he had taught had fallen in love with the subject he taught. Music was beautiful.

" You daydream a lot, Mr. I," she laughed brightly that it felt as if the atmosphere of nighttime had turned into broad daylight.

" I know, Grace," he said, He curiously asked her, " So why are you still at school? It's almost 8pm! When I was your age…all I wanted to do was get out of school as soon as possible!"

" Ahh," she smirked. " You see Mr I., I just finished band rehearsal for the school production."

" That's hard work, you know?"

" Yeah, had to rearrange most of the composition because it was too overdone."

" You can ask me if you need help, you know?"

" I know, Mr. I, " she nodded. " But I've completed majority of it, anyway."

She decided it was time to switch the attention back to her teacher. " So why were you playing that song?"

He chuckled at the girl's suspicion. " Just reminiscing…."

" Reminiscing?" she stared up into his cold azure eyes. " Of what? …. _Ohh _"

He gazed at her in wonder what she had _ohhed _about. " _Yes_?"

" I'm not an idiot, Mr. Ishida," she said simply, then began to explain her theory of her teacher's life with glints of amusement sparkling in her green eyes. " Ever since the last lesson you taught our class, you've been really not been yourself. It's like you've drifted off into a different area. But it would be understandable considering that the last lesson was…"

Yamato stared at her blankly.

She rolled her eyes then spoke sternly brimmed with nothing but confidence, " The last lesson….you taught our class about love songs. You loved someone…didn't you…Mr. I. ? Mr.-old-lead-singer-of-the-Teenage-Wolves-that-is-single-and-never-talks-about-his-love-life."

" That was the longest label someone has ever used to insult me," he mocked. " How'd you know about me being an ex lead singer?"

" The Teenage Wolves? I was in my junior years when you guys were a hit. Haha…my cousin used to be a big fan…but truthfully, I never liked your music."

" Understandable," he shrugged. " But why?"

" The lyrics you sang were twisted and made no sense whatsoever. And when you sang…no offence Mr. I….you got a good voice and all…but you sang with _no heart_! It was like you were a boring tedious news reporter on TV," she said with amused sincerity. " Girls just liked you because you were a all guy band that sang rock. That's the only reason!"

" That hurts!" he clutched his heart in sarcasm. Whenever he was with Grace, he felt calm and relaxed. To him, she was like a younger sister he never had. " You're really tough at criticizing music, aren't you Grace?"

" I'm just implying the truth," she said giving a broad grin and a simple shrug. " Though…I'd prefer hearing you sing the way you sang just then. Now, that's what you _really_ call music."

" I guess so…" he replied, ripping his gaze from her as he sunk into the chair, beginning to tune the guitar as he plucked each string to hear for the correct note.

" That song…who was it dedicated to?" she whispered quietly. " She must have been really special…"

" She **is**," he croaked out.

" Tell me the story, Mr. I…I love stories…it's not healthy to keep everything locked up. It's good to let it all go sometimes…" she said, comforting the older man.

Time slid by as he explained the long story, and she sat there listening intently to her teacher not making a sound, not interfering. She knew that he was in love with someone… but she never knew how strong **love **could really take such a toll on a person.

" Then why don't you go after her…Mr. I? If you've regretted it all your life…even if there is a chance you may be rejected, which I doubt, at least you'll know what feelings she holds towards you and you won't have to continue living thinking of her all the time."

" It's not _that_ easy, Grace."

" Life is never easy. It's like wanting to perfect a piano piece. You can never get it on the first try…you need to practice and try," she said. " Mr. I, you should _try…_"

" And you _think _I haven't?" he glared lividly, that it made her shudder. Realizing that he had been rather threatening he muttered an apology. " Thanks for the talk…I gotta go…take care Grace…"

She felt him pat her on the back as he snatched his duffle bag while carefully placing his guitar into its case. As he walked a few steps from getting out of the room, she yelled after him. " Good luck tomorrow!"

" I need it," he sighed nauseously. " I really owe you. I feel like a true idiot asking my student for love advice, I think it should be the other way around."

" Don't worry about it," she laughed. " The secret is with me!"

Grace watched him depart the room, she closed her eyes…the lyrics still were burning in her mind from the song her teacher had sung. It was absolutely stunning…

"_So tell me how you feel_

_Are you for real_

_Do you still think of me_

_Baby still ?_

_Do you dream of me at night_

_It's like a dream of you all the time_

_Sooo, lonely_

_oh let me tell you how it feels_

_Wish I was dreaming but its real_

_oh Let me tell you how it feels_

_I think that I will never love again"_

She had to find herself her own man that had the capacity to love her this strongly _like_ her teacher who she looked up to...

Somehow she was certain that she had heard been told the story once before since it sounded _vaguely_ _familiar…_

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**_Song:_** The Loneliness **_by_** Babyface. One of the saddest songs, and where I got the title of this story 'Do You Still Think Of Me?' from the chorus. Without credits to Babyface, this story wouldn't have taken it's place since it's built from the story of the song. Download it!


	10. Picking up the Pieces: Chapter Two

Last Edited: 29.12.o5

Written: o4.1o.o5

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**Do You Still Think of Me?**

**PART TWO – Picking up the fragments**

Chapter Two

By _Flipstahhz_

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Creases of lines appeared on Mimi Tachikawa's forehead as she nauseatingly breathed in and out. She tightly gripped her brush as she stroked her coffee-colored strands of hair. The corset showed off her slim frame, and she was beginning to think whether her appearance mattered considering she had the urge to vomit every five minutes. She felt her body being pulled in front of the mirror. Mimi gazed at her pale face before gazing at her outfit. The dress looked both casual and formal at the same time, being made of a material floral patterned satin. The dress also possessed straps that dug into her shoulders.

" It's beautifu-"

" You're _beautiful_," Sora smiled brightly. " You look so gorgeous, Meems!"

" Sora…you're the one that made the dress! Thanks, I'd be nothing without you _Sorrrr_!" she squealed in delight and gave her friend and embrace. " I didn't even know you could design clothing…you hid me from this secret talent all along?"

"Perhaps…" she replied thoughtfully pondering with a finger on her chin in a mocking way towards her the other lady – her best friend. As they both stared in the mirror at their reflections, Sora fastened a small blushing flower into Mimi's wavy mass of hair.

That day Sora was attired in a gypsy long skirt and a scarlet silk formal top that contrasted vibrantly against her auburn shaded hair that was pulled back into a small bun, just for the occasion. Mimi stared into her eyes…even though it may have had been a while since they had had a reunion; she still understood her friend…Sora could hide nothing from her.

" You're _scared_, aren't you?" Mimi gazed her friend's reflection.

" Scared…?" Sora repeated in ambiguity twirling the remaining strands of hair that had fallen out of the bun with her fingers. " I _think_ I am…"

" Yamato's coming today," Mimi concluded. " Just be normal…act normal. Everything will be fine. I thought everything would be settled back in high school…didn't know you guys would drag it this long."

" I wasn't ready."

" You were scared. Like you are now," Mimi said as if she were stating the obvious, hands on hips.

" Haha…it's your special day…and we're talking about my matters," Sora shook her head. " Don't worry about me…and worry about today!"

" It makes me sick," Mimi laughed as she let out another gasp for air. " I have no clue why people invented corsets."

" It looks good on you."

" I feel like a fried chicken," she giggled. " Why don't you go make your way there, Sora. I'll be coming out soon. Get some refreshments or something, Taichi's probably got it all prepared already…the guests were meant to be there half an hour ago."

" Yeah, I will. I think it's a good time for you to recollect as well. You need time to yourself, anyway," Sora said in agreement. " Take care and see you later, Meems. And don't trip, you might get grass stains on your dress!"

Mimi gave a nod with a small smirk playing on her thin lips. Sora Takenouchi stepped out of the house and decided to walk to the venue that was only a few minutes away from Mimi's home. When she arrived at the park she was caught by surprise of how beautiful the place was set up just for the special event. She had always thought that Tai and Mimi having engagement in a park would be original and down to earth, but she didn't think that it would look _this_ spectacular!

The grass was stained a lush green as different pigments of flowers spread out variously. White plastic sheds were put up with tables, refreshments and food underneath it. She praised the lord that the weather was fine for the event, though she had a light pink nose since it way spring, the hay fever season. From the looks of it, many people were already there socializing, speaking and awaiting for the presence of the two celebrants.

Noticing that she couldn't find or recognize anyone at the party, she sat herself down onto one of the seats available and poured herself lemonade. Mimi had made sure to not make the event an 'non-alcoholic function' considering it was in the afternoon, children were running around the park like crazy and she didn't want any drunks ruining the special day.

Her sepia colored eyes bored onto the pure white bunch of daisies inside the glass vase in the middle of the table. She brought her hand to one of them and fiddled with it between her fingers with a little yawn.

" Excuse me, Ms.?"

She gazed up focusing on the person who had interrupted her weariness. A man with jet-black hair was staring back at her, with his large camera strapped around his neck. _A photographer_, she thought.

" Yes?" she inquired.

" Would you like to join in the photo? Mrs. Takaishi assumed that you would want to join them," he smiled gesturing to a small cluster of people blissfully chattering on the other side of the shed.

" Of course! Certainly," she grinned in response and followed the man's lead.

" Mrs. Takaishi, she has accepted," he carried the same smile with a little bow.

" Watch it, Mr. Photographer she's already married! TJ might hurt you!" Sora observed a man with brown hair that furiously spiked up, jeer at already wedded couple.

" Hey Sora!" Sora then turned her attention the person who had wanted her to be there.

" Hey yourself, Mrs. Takaishi!" she beamed.

'_Mrs. Takaishi's '_ hair had grown a bit longer since she had last seen her but she still appeared with the same wistful smile that had stolen Takeru with. She still found it rather amusing when people referred Hikari as Mrs. Takaishi … she still hadn't adjusted to it. It was cute that Tai's sister had married young to one of her closest childhood friends. And that it was earlier than her brother as well. Though, she couldn't catch sight of where her husband was. She hadn't seen Takeru in a while either.

" Now, would you please introduce me to this astonishing woman?" the man with brown hair trumped up a lopsided smile.

" She's too old for you," Hikari sneered, hitting her friend on the arm playfully. " Daisuke, meet Sora Takenouchi. And Sora, meet Daisuke Motomiya."

The pair both exchanged introductions and had the typical 'familiarizing with each other' conversation for a few minutes. His surname _Motomiya_ then struck her…

" You wouldn't be related to Jun, would you?" she queried.

" She's my sister!" he laughed. " How do you know her?"

" We used to be a old friend in High School," she replied. " Some girl that was head over heels for Yamato."

" You were a fan of TJ's big brother too, ey?" he snickered. Before Sora had the chance to deny it he continued, the man did talk quite a lot … " Well, Jun's not interested in Yamato anymore, so that makes him free for any lady. Jun's actually dating this doctor…I think his name is Jyou."

" Jyou?" Hikari jumped into the conversation. " I didn't know that!"

Prior to Hikari jumping in, the photographer gave a cough. The three hadn't realized that he had been there all along and pardoned themselves with apologies. It was a good thing that the photographer was a nice man.

Hikari, Daisuke and Sora took about three snapshots (since Hikari and Sora wanted re-shots because Daisuke was mucking around too much. Daisuke fought back that they were vain cause three pictures were to many. Then Hikari accused back that it would be one picture for each of them. Sora agreed with Hikari. Daisuke decided he would leave since it was two against one, muttering as he left that '_it wasn't fair_.')

Sora suddenly noticed another familiar person – Kent (one of Yamato's friends that used to be part of the Teenage Wolves) – she was about to head towards him but then felt as is she was being pulled back. She stared down at tiny hands pulling her skirt and an ecstatic grin smeared onto her facial expression. She swiftly, yet carefully, scooped the two-year-old little boy from the ground and affectionately cradled him in his arms as he began shrieking with excitement.

" Let me go sista Sorahhh!" he gave a high-pitched squeal, laughing bubbly with his big striking azure eyes twinkling.

She ruffled the boys brown hair and set him to safety, back onto the solid grassy ground. " Sure, kiddo!"

" Hi Sora! Guess little Steven's content in seeing you again!" the new person laughed as he rested a hand on Hikari's shoulder.

" Of course, TK," Sora laughed along with Steven's father. " I'm the one that ends up babysitting when you two want to go off on dates."

" Let's go to da pwaygrund now!" the tyke was now pulling her away from the group.

" Is it okay?" she asked Hikari.

" Yeah, just keep an eye on him…he's always jumpy especially when he sees a set of swings," the boy's mother advised.

" Come on then!" Sora giggled. " Let's go then _Stevie_!"

The woman and child walked together hand-in-hand.

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As usual, he was coming late…

He could picture the annoyance in Taichi's face at that moment and could also hear him saying, " **_My _**best friend is late for my own Engagement Party."

Yamato chuckled to himself.

He had to finish writing up his music classes' reports that were due that Monday. He thought it would be a better idea to get it out of the way so he'd have a better time at the party, instead of worrying and dwelling over his student's reports. Being a teacher wasn't as easy as he had anticipated. When he had first chosen the career and started teaching he realized there were consequences in his choice. He eventually got over it considering he was happy teaching the subject that he adored.

He parked the car, got out and began to make his way to where he could hear the noise coming from in the park. He walked past the thick strips of green and couldn't help but smile when he saw the playground that Mimi, Tai and Sora would hangout when they were much younger.

_Tai couldn't kill him if he would just make a stop for five minutes…_

Yamato packed his hesitation aside and approached the playground. In an instant he recognized the female figure flying up and down the swings. He didn't want to bump into her this early in the party. He wasn't ready. But hell knew when he'd ever be…

He frowned at how cowardly he had become and stepped closer. The floral grassy scenery matched well, and he was glad that the grey clouds had cleared out and had let the sun's rays shine down upon them. **Her** oblivious daydreaming facial expression still remained the same, but a simper was painted on her lips. The way she looked it appeared as if she had matured quite a lot. She looked _more_ beautiful.

_It was like he had fallen for her all over again…_

Memories flooded back into his mind in a tremendous speed. Life looked much more magnificent than it had been before. He knew that she'd be there…and he wasn't intending to let her go again. Even though he wasn't sure if she were married or had a steady boyfriend…there was no way in hell that he was going to put himself in more strife than he already had. He promised Grace. He promised himself.

But something stopped him…

A little child laid there, rocking in her tender arms. He gargled with laughter, as the pair would feel the waft of wind hitting against them as they swung up and down the swings. He could just make out that the toddler. The kid had a mass of brown hair and…blue eyes…just like him. He felt like chocking. He closed his own eyes.

_If what he had assumed years back really happened…then this was? No…it couldn't be. The boy wouldn't have brown hair then…then who else could it be? Did Sora get married and have a child to some other man? That was impossible, Tai or Mimi would have at least mentioned something about it…this was beyond the **absurd…**_

" Y-Yamato?"

He opened his eyes again, knowing that he wasn't in a dream. Sora _was_ really there, as well as the child.

He supplied a fake grin and walked towards her. " Hello Sora, how have you been?"

" I thought you were Takeru at first!" she said.

_Takeru?_

He watched Sora pull the boy to sit comfortably on her lap as they both faced towards him now, " Stevie honey, meet Yamato he's your –"

" _Father…_" he ended for her.

Sora stared at him in shock. " Yamato, **what **are you talking about?"

" You didn't tell me, Sora! Why didn't you tell me that….what…eh…we did at the Graduation Party!" he said rather flustered. " Why did you raise him up yourself…this is…"

" Matt," she said firmly. " Calm down."

" How can I _calm down_? He's my son, and I – I didn't even know it!" he said with hurt and panic. So his suspicions were correct. The boy 'Stevie' was really his son…

" You're not my daddy!" The boy grumbled angrily.

" But –"

" Yamato, **listen**," she hissed impatiently at his abruptness, waving her palms in the air to silence him. Matt hadn't heard her say his name this many times in the past two minutes he was there. He would have felt privileged if it were in a better time… " Stop jumping to conclusions! Whatever happened back at the Graduation Party…_nothing_ happened! You just got pissed –"

The little boy said an 'umma'. But Sora continued…

" You got drunk and sick. I looked after you and took off your shirt because you were heating up pretty badly. I slept beside you because I was worn out, that night. End of story," she explained. She then tilted her head back, as if she was going to become sick.

" Sora? S-Sora are you okay?"

He scowled when he watched the woman clamp up in laughter. Steven happily laughed along, not quite understanding the situation and why she was laughing. " Sora, darn it! It's not funny. I thought …"

It was as if the ice was finally broken. Even though the pair had maintained a steady relationship back in high school, it felt as if just meeting on that day was much stronger than it ever had been.

" So…who's this kid?" Yamato asked. " Yours?"

" Matt, you're the one of the biggest idiots."

" Thanks for the compliment."

" I can't believe you don't even acknowledge that this is TK and Kari's son," she muffled out. " Your nephew!"

" I…guess I never met him," Yamato stroked the kid's back gently. Steven had already vanished into the world of dreams and was snoozing comfortably on Sora's lap. " Didn't know I was away this long…"

Sora stared up at him, recollecting Matt's features when she realized how close he was to her. She could just sense the feint smell of cologne and couldn't help but grin when she noticed that he was wearing a formal suit. Something she hadn't seen him attired in before… He appeared different too. His hair was cut shorter and was gelled down (not untamable as it had been before) and he carried himself more confidently with a straight back. He had transformed into a man for the past four years she hadn't seen him…

" … didn't we?"

" Pardon?" she whispered, feeling her throat tense up. " Sort of drifted away."

" Like you always do," he said. " Don't you remember…this was the place…back in grade 6 where you told me you wanted to be…"

" I remember," she said softly. " How could I forget?"

" Must be fate."

" I don't believe in fate," she objected, dismissing the idea.

" Yet you daydream…you're still the same."

" And so are you," she replied as she began to swing higher. He took the swing next to her and sat there together, reminiscing.

" Don't you feel old now?" he croaked as he stared at the ground and began pushing himself that he was in the same level as swings as Sora.

She stayed silent for a bit before she responded, " We're in between. Both innocent and growing to become more mature. We're not that old…you know? But humans are never accomplished. They learn new things every day."

" Yeah, I guess…" his eyes lifted his eyes and glanced at her. She stared at him questioningly when he chuckled. " I haven't spoken to you for a long time…it's different. You're not as modest and shy, but more confident in yourself. You used to shy off –"

" What are you implying?" she arched an eyebrow in threat.

" I'm implying that…" he said with twinges of both amusement and seriousness to his tone, " that you're a _woman _now…"

"In a good way? Or in the way…you were a tomboy and now I see you wearing a skirt?" she laughed. He chuckled again, her laugh made him.

" I'll let you decide on that," he spoke up then jumped off the swing and offered a hand to her. " I think we should get back in now, we've been here long enough and I haven't met Mr. Kamiya and his fiancé."

She nodded in agreement, accepting his hand as she rested one of her arms around Steven's sleeping body.

" Here, let me," he provided both his arms and she handed the child to him. With ease he placed the boy over his shoulder and made a wince when he realized that he was bound to have drool on his brand new ironed suit.

When the three arrived back to the plastic white sheds, Steven had already woken up and demanded to be put down by a 'stranger' and hyperactively ran off to his parents.

" Stevie likes me better than his uncle," Sora pointed out.

Yamato chuckled pleasantly.

As the pair stepped into the sheds, they were both greeted with the lush smells of delicious foods and spices and the jazzy music filtering from the live band.

" The music's great," Yamato commented as he felt someone nudge him in the ribs.

" Not that good. I mean, seriously Yama," the man spoke sarcastically. " We were **it,** back then- - those were the days. Our band kicked ass, we were wayyy better than that band performing!"

" Hey Kent!" he greeted.

" You know, it would have been better if you visited once in a while, bro," Kent responded, folding his arms together trying to look like he was sulking. " I'd better leave you lovebirds alone…farewell…catch up with you later!"

Sora blushed. Matt sniggered. As they stared at the small dance floor they saw that Mimi and Taichi were already at it, dancing closely together as they stared directly at each other in the eyes. Both their best friend's must have had arrived when Stevie and they were at the playground.

" They're so in love," it was Sora's turn to comment. " _Finally_…they're getting married."

" Yeah," Matt grinned proudly. He hadn't felt this happy since Hikari and TK announced that they were getting married and that Tai would become his brother-in-law. He was also ecstatic because he was standing right beside Sora...

_At last_

_my love has come along_

_my lonely days over_

_and life is like a song_

_Ooh At last_

_the skies above are blue_

_well my heart was wrapped up in clover_

_the night I looked at you_

_I found a dream_

_that I could speak to_

_a dream that I could call my own_

_I found a thrill_

_to press my cheek to_

_a thrill that I have never known_

" The song's beautiful," she whispered, eyeing Mimi and Tai dance. She couldn't restrain the smile forming on her face.

" It's called At Last by Etta James," Matt uttered knowingly. " One of the best classical love songs."

" It's great," she complimented again, raising her neck upwards to regard him. " What do you think?"

_You smile_

_you smile_

_oh and then the spell was cast_

_and here we are in heaven_

_for you are mine at last_

_I found a dream_

_that I could speak to_

_a dream that I_

_could call my own_

_I found a thrill_

_to press my cheek to_

_a thrill that I have never known_

" I think…that we should join our best friends and dance alongside with them," he said forming the plot in his mind. " What do you say?"

" Certainly," She said, trying to hide the thrill and adrenaline of emotions.

" For Mimi and Tai?"

" _For Mimi and Tai," _she stated the reply.

She linked her arm into his and dragged him onto the overflowing dance floor. He placed his arm around her waist, as she cupped her left hand on his right shoulder. Yamato brought his head down and lightly jibed into her ear. "And…**_f_****_or us._**"

_You smile_

_you smile_

_oh and then the spell was cast_

_and here we are in heaven_

_for you are mine at last_

_ooo yea_

_you are mine_

_you are mine_

_at last_

_at last_

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**Song Used:** (As Yamato mentioned) The song used is 'At Last' **_by_** Etta James. It's a classical that I do NOT own. It's one of my favourite classics…relaxing, calming and as described before… '_beautiful_.'


	11. Picking up the Pieces: Chapter Three

Last Edited: 29.12.o5

Written: 17.1o.o5

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**Do You Still Think of Me?**

**PART TWO – Picking up the fragments**

Chapter Three

By _Flipstahhz_

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He thought that perhaps they would have been closer after the engagement party. His contentions were incorrect. Sure, at least they were speaking yet they still hadn't managed to completely destroy the boulder between them and what he thought as their 'relationship.' The boulder was _only_ cracked slightly. They were still on rocky grounds and he had to leave since he had to go back to Tamachi to attend teacher conferences. He was a busy man now. He was no longer a teenager. There was no point in staying when there was nothing between them, _nothing_ but a friendly conversation. Or he could just be chickening out _again._

Though, Yamato hadn't realized that he would be returning back to Odaiba within the next couple of days…

That Tuesday school night, the night sky was a perfect shade of dark blue. He tiredly dragged his limp enervated figure out from the kitchen of his apartment, but vigilantly eyed the mug carried by his left hand of coffee that was overflowing. He slouched onto the chair, took a gulp of the caffeine, and let his blue eyes become glued to the computer screen. He had a feeling that he was going to be up all night trying to figure out the perfect test for his year nine class. He knew that 'perfect test' were two words that weren't going to be found in his class' vocabulary. He smirked. He sometimes liked being the one 'in charge' and watching his students whine, even though it was so evil. He shook his head, he was realizing that he was becoming like one of his teachers back in High School that cherished in abusing their power. Another reason of becoming a teacher was to be 'different' from the rest and be 'remembered' for being a cool guy. He chuckled to himself.

After hours of work, he let a yawn stifle out of his mouth's frame. He glanced on the bottom right-hand corner and saw the numbers of 01:53 am jumping at him. He had done enough work for the night. He exited all the programs on his computer, shutting it down. He leaned back, closing his eyes and tasting the sensation of being worn out. Before he knew it, the man had got lost into his own dreamland, falling into an uncomfortable slumber seated in his computer chair.

Soon, he abruptly woke up. He was rather piqued when he could feel bruises forming on his sides from the nasty fall from his seat. He wiped the wet drool from the corners of his mouth and growled when he felt his cell vibrating and ringing aloud into the night.

_Who could possibly ring up at this obscene time?_

He snatched his phone from his jean pocket, since he hadn't changed into his pajamas, and answered the call.

" TK, thank you for waking me up!" he snapped angrily and continued to grumble, " Couldn't you think of a appropriate time to call instead of 3am. Are you _insane_ - ?"

" Matt, it's Kari."

Yamato's anger and irritation had been replaced with worry. _Why was Kari using TK's cell? _Her voice seemed overwhelmed at the same time with nervousness, uncertainty and fragility.

" Where's TK?" he croaked. He knew instantly that something was wrong. " What's happened?"

" He can't come to the phone right now," she asserted. " He's not in the current state to be talking - "

He was alarmed, a firm frown curling on his dry lips. And spoke the words that were beating in his mind repetitiously. " What's happened?" he questioned again. There had to be an important reason why she was calling at the time on TK's cell. _Something_ was going on…

He was certain that it had nothing to do with the couple. Even though his brother and Tai's sister had married at only nineteen, he knew that they had really loved each other. But it did leave them quite open to vulnerability if a heavy bad situation came along.

And Yamato **didn't** want to be left in the dark any longer.

In a calmer voice, he spoke, " Tell me, Kari…"

There was a pause on the other line, as if the younger woman was gaining strength within the quiet seconds to spill the correct words out to him. She was going to his bringer of grave news.

She began to muster out, " Your mother…she died, Yamato. She _died_."

He could feel his throat tighten. He didn't know…he didn't know _what_ to think. His mother had died…it felt surreal. Yamato never knew there would ever be such a day he would face something like this. He thought the divorce was enough…but _death?_ Death was **nothing **compared to the divorce. He then noticed that he wasn't alone.

" How's TK doing?" were the first words that he managed to whisper out. TK, after all, had been closer to his mother than he was.

" Taking it badly. He's crying…I don't know what to do. I've never seen him like this. No, not TK," she babbled on anxiously. " I thought I should have told you straight away…because I know…no…I **knew** TK wouldn't be able to tell you."

" Thanks…" he muttered gratefully, though grief was so clear in his tone when he spoke the single word all from the tragedy he had just been exposed to. " What from? How?" he said softly, hands tightening as he kicked anything on the floor that he could see subconsciously.

" Heart attack," She informed simply. " A sudden unexpected one…"

They remained quiet for a bit, as he continued to let it all sink in. From his mother's smile to her eyes, personality and caring attitude towards everyone…it was all now compressing and being jumbled into his thoughts.

" Thanks again, Kari," he said numbly. " Go look after him now…he needs you the most. TK needs someone to comfort him. I know you can…"

" Yeah," her sorrowful voice said. " We'll talk to you soon. Take care of yourself, Yamato."

" I will."

The cell phone beeped. He thrust the phone onto his bed and stood up. He leaned back with his hands frantically running through his hair in stress and somberness. Yamato joined his phone later, and curled his body into a ball like a little boy as he cradled himself to sleep. He was glad that someone was there to reassure TK, but right now…all he had was himself to comfort. And that's all he needed…

¤ - ×- ×- ×- × - × - × - × - ×- ×- × - ¤

The tense atmosphere was melancholy and mourning. Spring seemed to have lost its vibrant colours. Yamato never liked funerals, and he was convinced that many other people agreed with him. But death had to be accepted. That was life for you. Once you were born, you would die either way…_one way or another_. That was the harsh reality of it all. Once you let that special person go, you move on. It was a whole hard process from one to become fully cured and recovered from.

He let his eyes focus on the coffin as it was placed carefully under the ground. His brother's eulogy and the strong words blazed still in his mind vividly how the way Takeru's speech had struck him. Every word Takeru spoke, Yamato could tell that his brother was trying so hard to not collapse into sobs and it was killing him. This wasn't TK. This wasn't his brother…

Takeru was his younger sibling that was never sad or had never been put down from anything that had attempted to get in his way. He was strong -always full of hope. Yes, Takeru was much stronger than Yamato himself. Yamato never knew he would see such a weak side to him. The TK he knew was always smiling, happy and a bright shining star full of hope and always thought positively. He was someone different. Perhaps Takeru was like this because he had always been close to their mother - he was mama's boy. Maybe that was why TK – his brother – had broken into someone he didn't know. His – no, their- mother was gone. And TK had no one to support him and help him get picked up. Whenever troubles came along, he would always confide them to their mother since they lived under the same roof. They always had a close connection. Heck, it was much closer than Yamato and his father.

_His father_…how was he doing?

Yamato let his gaze travel amongst the small crowd of people that were surrounding his mother's grave. He immediately spotted his father. He observed that even his father was a terrible wreck. His father's hair hadn't been combed…and…he was _crying_.

It hit him how his old man was drenched with regret. Yamato had _always _known that after his parent's divorce his father hadn't been the same. Yamato **knew** that his father still loved her…it pained him seeing his father in such an unpleasant condition.

Besides his father, he spotted the soon-to-be-wedded couple and saw that both Tai and Mimi were holding each other for support. They stood there, hand in hand, and Yamato watched Taichi offer his handkerchief to Mimi. She accepted it and wiped her puffy pink eyes from the warm tears falling down her face.

Hikari was next to Mimi, holding up little Steven in her arms, as Yamato watched her sending concerned glances towards her husband. At least Takeru was lucky that he had someone to love him…

That was when Yamato locked gazes with _her_.

She had been staring at him with her piercing eyes. Her eyes were the only passages to her soul and what she was thinking. And right now, he could feel her showing pity towards him.

Even though it was a dreadful day, the sun was shining brightly. Rays of light struck the woman in the black attire. Sora was suited in a long black skirt, a formal black top with a fitting blazer covering it and matching ebony stockings and gloves. Though it wasn't correct of him to notice her features at the time, it couldn't be helped. He shook his head to himself in shame.

He had seen all these people less than a week ago at his best friend's engagement party, and they had been all cheerful and beaming like maniacs, and _now_ they had all been completely defeated from being miserable.

It was terribly scornful how things could change so quickly.

The funeral finally came to a conclusion. Majority of the guests departed the cemetery, but he hadn't paid attention to them at all. He had already settled himself in a fixed position, squatting down onto the blades of grass as he stared inconsolably at his mother's grave.

She was _gone…_

His mother was gone.

He never knew when he was going to accept it. Yamato felt someone else's presence as the figure also squatted adjacent to him. He winced, detecting the person's hand had rested on his shoulder as an evident symbol of comfort and reassurance. He already knew who the figure was, and proceeded to stare at her grave soundlessly.

" I'm sorry …"

" There was nothing you could do," he said bitterly. " Don't say sorry when it wasn't your fault. It was no one's fault that she passed away."

Saying 'died' hurt him more. 'Passed away' sounded better. Together, they squatted there longer. She was probably the only one there that knew how he felt…

" Guess we're both motherless now," she commented with a small sense of sadistic sarcasm in her character.

"Hmm," he grunted.

" Is there anything I can do? I understand how it's like -"

" Do you?" he intervened without thinking. " There's nothing you can do. She's gone. And that's that. At least we told you that she died. When your mother died…you told no on-"

" Yamato…please…"

" Sora…why…why can't you just leave me alone?" he scowled. " You always come in the wrong times. I don't want to think of you anymore…I'm sick of you!"

_I'm sick of loving you without you loving me back…_

He abruptly jumped to his feet and stormed off, away from the scene. He was a jerk and he knew it. But all of what just had happened was enough as it was, and Sora being there had prompted him to burst. Right now, all he needed was his own space. He felt really giddy and like a child storming off like that. He probably looked like a fool since he was a middle-aged man who had water falls rolling down his face.

Yamato was only a couple of graves away when he could sense someone trail behind him. Then the person called out to him…

" **MATT**!"

He turned around, seeing the spit firing shorter image of himself glaring at him as he noticed tears rolling down the other person's face as well. But this time, they weren't tears of sadness…but tears of _rage_

" What the bloody hell is with you?" TK hollered. " You're such a conceited bastard!"

Yamato stood there, shocked. TK had never said anything like this…even when he was angry. And from the looks of things, he was beyond anger. He was speechless; he didn't know how to respond back to his spleen.

He continued, " Why do you have to be such a bitch at our mother's funeral? Why do you have to be so cold and stubborn all the time, always thinking of none other but yourself!"

" Takeru-"

" Don't you dare _Takeru_ me! I don't want you to think I've cracked it. I don't need your sympathy when I know that I am sane enough to know what the hell I am saying," he spat lividly, face twisting in rage. " You've dodged a bullet so many times…it's about some time a tell you straight in the face."

The older boy gave a brief nod as he was prepared for the worse his brother had to say. Yamato stared hard at the ground.

" She…_mum_…she only wanted your happiness, Yamato," he said truthfully, his tone was becoming softer. " Ever since the divorce…she always cared for you, you know? Years went by, and she didn't know who you were anymore. And it was the same with me…"

Yamato looked up.

" You became dull. Everything that went on, you kept it to yourself - no one but yourself. We weren't idiots to not see that you were going through pain and carrying the burden all by yourself. We tried…we _tried _so hard to make you happy again…"

" I was fine -"

" You fucking _weren't_! You were so stubborn and in denial, like you are now!" TK shot back, voice echoing through the cemetery. " You didn't give a shit of how much we all worried about you, Yamato. You were the one that changed the most after the divorce -"

It then struck Yamato of how he wasn't one of the best brothers when he was younger. Instead of him being an older brother to TK, it was more like the other way around. He was hardly there for Takeru, and was concerned more about thinking of his own life..._and thinking always of her_. He was a selfish prick. When he left Odaiba to become a teacher, he had forgotten about his family. He hadn't bothered to visit as much when he even _knew_ that his mother wasn't in a good condition. He put his job before his diminishing family. It was already a bad state when his family had separated…and he…he had made it _worse…_

He had failed everybody.

" Why tell me now?" he choked out. It all made sense now, everything clicked…only it had taken him long enough to figure it all out.

" I'm _not_ finished," TK said sternly. " With what you did to Sora, back there. Right after you were being a dick there, she ran off. Unfortunately, for you, I wasn't deaf and I heard your whole conversation between her. Can't you just respect her?"

" I do."

" Sure doesn't sound like it," TK lectured his older brother. " All she wanted to do was help you out and reassure you…and what do you do to repay her? You push her away and run off, like you always do when you're faced with any problem. You're such a coward. You don't need to hurt her anymore…she's already been hurt enough…"

" How would you know?"

" Yamato," he said, staring directly at him without blinking. " Even though I'm not always around. I know, for a fact, that the both of you share the same feelings for each other. It's been long enough both Sora and you haven't gotten together yet."

" She _doesn't_ –"

" Stop denying it! Have you ever thought or even tried to ask her?" he questioned, and then began to speak when his older brother didn't answer back. " So you can't jump to endings straight away. I thought you were old enough to have figured this out by now, guess I was wrong."

" You're way younger than I am," Yamato sighed. " And yet you appear mentally older than I."

" What are you waiting for? You've had so many opportunities before. Don't blow each and every one away," TK advised. " _Go after her_…"

_He wasn't going to fail them again…he wasn't going to fail Sora…_

" I will," he replied confidently. He stared at TK. " Thanks."

" What are brother's for?" he remarked with a dreary shrug as he watched Yamato run away and disappear behind some tombstones.

Takeru looked down to the emerald shaded grass and saw a wallet planted there. He retrieved the leather wallet into his hands and stood back as a photograph slipped from it. He quirked a small simper when he saw a younger picture of Sora that had been dormant, hidden in the leather wallet of his brother's. _Perhaps there was hope after all…_

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	12. Picking up the Pieces: Chapter Four

Last Edited: 29.12.o5

Written: 28.1o.o5

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**Do You Still Think of Me?**

**PART TWO – Picking up the fragments**

Chapter Four

By _Flipstahhz_

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Tears blurred her vision. She hated to cry. She knew that she was making a fuss over nothing. She knew he didn't intend to hurt her. She knew that. But seeing such a sorrowful side to him had hit her really hard. And it hurt.

The sun was glaring outside as she drove the vehicle. The weather was beautiful. Unfortunately, for her, she mood was the completely the opposite. She was overreacting. She hated being so weak, it made her feel petty and fragile. She had sworn to herself that she'd never be weak again…and here she was…already a woman bawling her eyes out. Her bottom lip quivered … all the overwhelming emotions breaking inside of her, and soon enough she had begun shaking. It seemed her body couldn't take hold of her any longer.

_Get a grip of yourself…_

Her fingers tightened on the steering wheel, so hard that they turn an abnormal shade of white. Her quickened breathing steadied down as she halted the car at the red traffic light. She switched on the radio, becoming a bit satisfied and pleased with herself that she had moved a level up from dwelling after what happened about fifteen minutes ago. Her mind was plunged into the music. The soft rhythm played and filled the whole space in the vehicle…

_When I look into your eyes  _

_Then I realize_

_That all I need is you in my life._

_All I need is you in my life._

_'Cuz I've never felt this way about lovin'.  _

_Never felt so good._

_Never felt this way about lovin'  _

_It feels so good._

_How it takes my breath,  _

_Starts a pounding in my chest,_

_Makes me weak, when_

_I think about you.  _

_Makes me wanna give my all,  _

_Life wouldn't mean a thing.  _

_Not a happy song to sing,  _

_Just emptiness if_

_I had to live without you._

She glowered, pushing the off button. She wasn't in the correct sanity for 'love songs' at that moment. It made her angry. Sora hardly got angry, not unless it was over something terrible. And getting enraged at the radio wasn't typical of her and her actions. It was most likely that all the mixed emotions hadn't settled and instead were tearing her apart…mainly her _heart_

The lights flashed green, and she drove on. She felt nauseous, the song was still stirring in her mind…she never knew that the words could effect her that much. She now had a good reason why Yamato loved music after all…

_Yamato_

She swerved the car into a spare parking space on the main road. Driving in her current state wasn't safe. It was absurd. Then she let it all out. All the grief, frustration, pain and anger into a lump of sobs. Not the loud wailing sobs like the ones in movies where the protagonist actress would burst tears. But the type of choking sobs that one would only hear when they were in real agony and would find it hard to breath because it hurt so much. She was tired of it all…she wanted to forget everything…no **_anything_** to do with him. Why couldn't she just move on? Why had he wrapped his fingers around her soul?

_But how could she when all she did was think of him?_

Of how he was and how he was feeling at any particular moment of the day. She sucked in her breath, still trying her best to stay solid strong. She didn't want to break _anymore_. She swiped her sleeve over her swollen eyes and a firm confident line displayed on her lips. She couldn't stay like this any longer. This time, she was going to face her fear of rejection straight in the face. She had waited long enough. And she…she didn't want him out of her life again…she didn't want to see him leave her without any of her final words and what her mind was truly thinking.

_It was now or never._

She gave a wry empty smile. Her mother used to say that quote to her whenever she had exams and it to give it her all. It was about time that she would 'give it all her' **now**. She gyrated the vehicle swiftly…not knowing that she'd slip into unconsciousness subsequently when another car collided with hers.

¤ - ×- ×- ×- × - × - × - × - ×- ×- × - ¤

_He hadn't seen it coming…_

He was unable to even take any gasps of air for a few seconds as he sat there in incredulity shock. Most of the glass in front of him had shattered into many scattered pieces after the accident, many of them were sent jabbing his unprotected face and body. He couldn't believe he was even alive. He couldn't belief what had just happened. It felt as if he was captured in one of his surreal nightmares.

He could move, he was breathing…_he was fine_. But how about the person he had crashed into?

He hauled himself out of the wreck that acquainted to be his old vehicle, and hurried to the victim in distress to see whether he or she was injured or hopefully not. He swore curses when he took a look at the scene. The person's car was way damaged more than his was…meaning that that person _could be_…

He shuddered.

He wasn't willing to be exposed to any more deaths, especially if he was the one that may have had killed that person. He avoided the trails of blood that covered his pale face and pushed the jagged driver's seat door open, letting the person drop lifelessly into his arms.

_No it couldn't be, this was…._

" Sora?" he whispered her name in panic, absolutely terrorized and mystified with what just happened. " W…wake up."

He could feel a crowd of people gather around them in curiousness, panic, sadness and worry. Yamato's tired arms began to tremble becoming infuriated with the surrounding and that public weren't doing anything to assist them.

A man took a step towards them, " Are you okay? Is she fi-"

" DOES SHE **LOOK** FINE!" Yamato shouted in rage.

_Why the hell did the darn man have to ask an idiotic question? Especially right after seeing her state…wasn't that answer enough already?_

His azure eyes pierced the group and filled his heart with bitterness, then bit his lip for being a complete idiot when he realized that the man was trying to handle the situation as calmly as possible considering he most likely was off the edge to insanity.

" Call triple 0, quick!" the man ordered a woman besides him.

Yamato's eyes fell onto her again. From one glance at her, it was obvious that she had slammed her head against something and her legs seemed to have crammed together when her car took the blow considering they were bleeding like hell. He ran his hands through her startling auburn hair, now drenched in blood. It saddened and sickened him at the same time how this was his first chance to hold her in a solicitous affectionate way at that moment. He didn't know how long he sat there, on his knees, staring at her with nothing but sadness depicting through his normally inscrutable eyes.

Soon enough, the ambulance's whining was to be heard and as soon as the paramedics got out of the vehicle and attended to the emergency. Yamato carried her over to the ambulance, carefully placing her light body onto the stretcher. All he saw was scarlet.

"Here, take my handkerchief," the man offered kindly.

He hadn't realized that his tears had blended with the blood on his face.

Without a word, he accepted it gratefully and roughly wiped his face, glad that the red liquid of blood wasn't anymore making it difficult to see. He lifted his head, just to see the ambulance speed off as it vanished around the curb leaving him left with a mystified crowd and two wreckage of cars.

_**What had he done?**_

¤ - ×- ×- ×- × - × - × - × - ×- ×- × - ¤

He tilted his head upwards, daring to look at the starless unlit sky. He bit his lip, if he looked down he knew that the tears in his eyes would overflow and roll down his face. That was why he continued to stare up at the night sky. All that he could do was _hope_…hope that she'd be fine. It had been almost seven straight hours since she had arrived and she'd been in a critical condition – needing to go under operation straight away. After Yamato had been treated from the minor glass scratches from his body, he was off to visit her. But unfortunately for him, the doctor's in charge hadn't let him in because he _wasn't_ part of her family. It was terrible. He felt so helpless…he wanted to do something to ease the pain…but he couldn't. It was all up to her now…up to her will to survive…

He dug his hands into the pockets of his black blazer. He was still attired in the suit he had worn to his mother's funeral. He wasn't fit for another funeral. Funerals tended to make him such an emotional wreck…and he despised it. It was his weakness. He shivered. Spring wasn't supposed to feel like winter, yet the cold night breeze outside was giving him chilly sensations.

He had been standing at the parking lot of Odaiba Hospital for almost an hour. Since he hadn't been allowed to be in the same room as Sora, he stood besides her window outside. Even though he knew he was turning an unhealthy shade of white, it didn't matter. It was **_his _**fault that she had to be stuck on that bed. And he wasn't just going to walk away. He was guilty for hurting her. He wished it was him laying there, not her. He could barely make out shadows of the operating surgeons through the curtain-draped room.

His neck hurt from staring at the sky so Yamato sat onto the cement footpath, letting the tears had been holding silently fall down. He quivered when the droplets touched his lips as he stroked the salty tears away. The day had worn him out pretty badly. He thought a funeral was enough, but another tragedy had to happen next. And it was intended for _her_

Lights flashed at his direction, making him lift his head and try to put a barrier from displaying grief on his face. The car headlights turned off and soon enough he heard a woman run through the hospital doors. He continued to sit there and remained silent when another figure sat next to him.

" When the shit hits the fan?" the new comer said.

" When the shit hits the fan," Yamato repeated, confirming the quote.

" Take a fag, you have the darn right to be dubbed as a bloody chimney," the person said.

The man handed Yamato a cigarette, and in appreciation he took it and lit it up. Yamato only smoked when he was under stress and how he was currently going; he would be a heavy smoker for a week. They sat there in stillness for a long time. The only movement happened when Yamato had stepped on the cigarette after it was no use to him.

After that, the blond man suddenly felt the person slip his arms around him into a bear hug reassuringly. " I'm sorry. Everything will be fine, man. We'll carry this burden together. No use keeping it all bottled up, ya know?"

It was strange seeing this compassionate loving side to Taichi. The whole time Yamato had know his best friend, Tai never showed affection or any signs of 'feminineness'. Yamato shook in the embrace, his eyes tightening as he began to fall into another fit of melancholic sobs. He let go. Feeling stronger.

" Come on, let's go in," the brunette whispered. " You're freezing."

The best friends entered the hospital. The first thing that met them was the brightness of the white walls. Yamato had been outside in the dark for quite some time and suddenly coming inside made him catch his breath for a second.

" Yamato, are you okay!" a concerned voice said hurriedly as she kept blurting out, " The stupid secretary won't let me go and see Sora. How is she doing! If you hadn't rung us up…who knows when we would have found out!"

" He's fine, Mimi," Tai replied to his fiancé for his best friend.

" That's good to know. I hope the same can be said for Sora! I really hope she's fine," she sighed. She appeared rather flustered. Her hair was drawn back into a messy ponytail and smudges of her black mascara had faded down her face due to some perceptible crying. " I just saw TK earlier, he went to have a talk with someone in the nurse staff. If he succeeds, we can all hopefully get to see how she's doing. Oh, there he is!"

Sure enough, two figures walked towards them. The taller man had dark blue hair and was dressed in a white coat on, while the younger man had the same blond hair as Yamato himself. The man's azure eyes were bloodshot. It seemed that he wasn't the only one who had been crying. There had been a lot of waterworks going on that day.

He started an apology straight away, " I'm so sorry, Matt. If I hadn't told you to go after her…this wouldn't have happened…I-"

" I've thought it out too, TK. If I hadn't told her earlier that I cared, this wouldn't have happened either. It's not your fault. It's mi-," he stopped when he caught Taichi gave him a threatening glance. " _It's no one's fault._"

Yamato ruffled his younger brother's head, as if he were still a little boy. TK cracked a weak smile. The man besides him gave a cough, and attention was instantly drawn to him.

" Mimi, Tai, Matt…this is Jyou," TK introduced. " And Jyou, this is Mimi, Tai and my brother – Matt."

" So you want me to get these all these people inside?" Jyou arched an eyebrow not rather pleased with what TK wanted.

" Don't worry about it. This hospital is –"

Before Yamato had completed his sentence that was pretty much going to be an insult, the doctor interrupted him. " I would be able to do that, but it is not appropriate if I let four people go barging in there when they are doing surgery on her."

" So?" Yamato glared angrily, he was becoming insane and he knew it.

" We can't disrupt the surgeons from doing their job. Right now, I can only tell you her current state," Jyou said.

Curious eyes gazed on him. He continued, " Ms. Takenouchi was hit pretty bad. Unluckily, the crash may have vitally hit her spinal cord…"

They all became alarmed. A blow to the spinal cord could have so many terrible affects.

" As they are operating on her right at this moment, there is a high chance of her surviving…but there is also a high chance that she may never be the same again," the man delivered in a saddened tone.

" What can happen?" Tai perked up.

Yamato stayed standing there lucidly.

" There are many things that could happen," Jyou glanced at the four people in front of him uncomfortably and regretfully, " And one of them may is that she may not be able to walk ever again…"

The old blond headed man gave a stiff nod.

_At least she was alive…and that's what all mattered…_

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**Song Used: **Never Felt This Way **_by_** Brian McKnight. (A fantastic 'really' slow song that was used in this chapter. Has to be on of my top twenty favourite songs. Download it ;D - though downloading on the net is illegal…oh well. LOL)


	13. Picking up the Pieces: Chapter Five

Last Edited: 29.12.o5

Written: 11.11.o5

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**Do You Still Think of Me?**

**PART TWO – Picking up the fragments**

Chapter Five

By _Flipstahhz_

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She lay besides the patient, her back against the stiff hospital bed as her eyes focused onto the dull white ceiling of the room. She traced her long auburn hair away from her face and fastened it around with a crimson silk ribbon. Her body was much relaxed as it had been earlier. She recalled storming into the room, causing the workers in the hospital to flip and almost kick her out of the building. Luckily, Sora had her say that she '_knew_' her and that she wasn't some stranger that had absently walked in and gone completely deranged. Her face was still wet from the grief stricken tears she had shed. When she had found out that Sora was safe, her grief was replaced with relieved happiness.

" You're quiet," the patient noted observantly. " It's not like you, cos."

She stared at Sora and stuck her tongue out, " Even though you're all crippled now you still manage to tease me."

" Well…it's not unmanageable," Sora gave a weak smile as she pulled the quilt higher making the girl shift a bit since she had been on top of it.

They sat there silent for a while. The only sound remaining was the constant ticking beat of the clock materialized in the atmosphere, combining with both of their steady breathing.

" I was worried," the younger girl truthfully croaked out into the heavy air as she began to speak her story, " I hadn't visited you in a while so when I went to visit your house…_you weren't there_. I thought you were out, so I waited for hours. After losing my patience I unlocked the door with one of your spare hidden keys and went in. That's when I saw the note on your kitchen table."

" The note that Mimi wrote?" Sora suggested.

" That's right," the girl said. " It read that you were at Odaiba Hospital. The roses in your vase had already dead on the kitchen table. I hesitated a bit. I knew you _always_ changed your flowers as soon as the petals started falling…and that only meant that you hadn't been home in a while. That was when I suspected that…I thought…you were _dead._"

Sora still carried the weak smile on her face as her hand stroked her cousins back reassuringly. " You know, I wouldn't leave my only cousin behind."

The girl burst into cackles of laughter. " That sounded real corny."

" Anything to do with drama is corny," Sora inclined her statement, shrugging.

Sora let her warm eyes gaze at her cousin. After her mother had died the girl, lying next to her, was one of the only relatives she had left. She always thought of her as her younger sister and confidant because she was an only child and got quite lonely at times. Many people had mistaken them for sisters since they had the same fiery auburn hair; only that Sora's was inches shorter than her cousin's tresses.

" I'm glad that you're alright," her cousin cracked a smile. " Just being crippled for months."

" Yeah," Sora said, " And it's my friend's wedding is soon!"

" Who cares about the wedding! Your friend should understand your circumstance!" Sora's cousin exclaimed. Her tone hushed down as one of the nurses walking by who gave her an icy disproving glance. The people that worked at the hospital constantly walked by Sora's room since after he 'guests' outburst and commotion her cousin had caused. " Aren't you in pain still? Those wounds look pretty deep."

Sora followed her gaze as she stared at the injuries on her left arm. " It's healing though it occasionally hurts, especially when I shower. It's like rubbing salt on an open wound."

The wounds had managed to heal in comparison with the terrible state it had been weeks before. The pain had lessened, though her feet ached whenever she walked with the assistance of nurses or her brand new crutches. Since Sora had taken up nursing she knew that it was best to follow her superior doctor's commandments and not being rebellious since she knew it would take her way longer to recover.

It had been about three weeks after the accident. When she had become conscious and found out why her body was shaking in pain, she was immediately filled in on what had happened. She only hoped that Yamato wasn't blaming himself. She knew that he tended to do that a lot, even when they were much younger. Sora had caught him intruding once in a while to check up on her, and she mischievously played along pretending to be asleep just to see how he reacted to her sleeping body. Him just being there made her comfortable and safe, even though it was he who had crashed into her vehicle.

She continued, " I'm just so thankful that I'll be able to walk properly. If my spinal cord had been damaged badly from the impact of the car crash, I wouldn't be able to walk. I'm so grateful."

" Thank the lord," her younger cousin smiled. She had always been religious, it sided lovingly with her desire and talent for music and high academic skills. Sora had always mockingly envied her cousin's talents.

The doors to the room gaped open. Both their heads instantly directly turned toward the new person that had entered the room. His tousled dirty blond hair spat out in every incomprehensible direction possible as his sharp sapphire eyes stared directly at the pair, for once readable. Shock tainted them as he pointed at Sora's cousin in surprise. " **_You_**?"

" Me?" the girl sat up on the bed to get a better glance at the man. Her eyes widened. " Hi Mr. I!"

" Grace, what are you doing here?" he chuckled bubbly as his eyes sprained on Sora's lying body for a minute. " Do…are both of you _related_?"

" Cousins," Sora replied simply as she sat up too, even though it was quite a challenge since her muscles were still killing her.

" Uh…" Yamato scratched his back nervously as he approached the bedside table and planted some roses with the other cramped flowers into the vase. " Just wanted to say sorr-"

" Apology not accepted," Sora said bluntly, yet warmly. " It wasn't your fault. We both hit each other."

Yamato nodded, standing there uncomfortably. It was strange seeing Sora sided next to one of his own students. Finding out that they were cousins at that moment still surprised him. " Just wanted to check up on you. I'll visit another time…you and Grace need catching up."

Before Sora could shout back at him that it was fine, he had already retreated the room. Her eyebrow arched as she turned her head back to her cousin. " Grace, I didn't know Yamato was your teacher!"

" I can't tell you anything. I didn't even know you _knew_ him!" Grace defended. " I can't believe you know him, even worse…he of _all_ people crashing into you! He must be a pretty reckless driver since you drive so slowly cause you're frightened of turning every corner!"

" Hey!" Sora warned, but she w as glad that Grace was back in the talkative stance that she had grown accustomed to over all the years. " Yamato's one of my friends I met back in my childhood. It was sweet that he brought the roses though…wonder why he left…"

Grace stared at Sora's thoughtful expression, " He was uncomfortable."

They both laughed.

" You have a lot," Grace jumped out of the bed and walked towards the bunch of flowers. She fingered each of them, and withdrew her hand when she felt one of her fingers be pricked from one of thorns of the flowers. She rocked her arm and in haste sucked her slightly bleeding finger. " Who gave you all these?"

" Mimi and Tai, some of my workmates at this hospital, Yamato's brother and his brother's wife and Yamato himself," she listed and then let her eyes fall onto her cousin, " Not you though. I'm still pending for orange tulips from you."

Grace walked over to Sora and lightly pushed her. Sora grinned.

" I'm going to go now," Grace said as she snatched her backpack from the ground and flung it around her shoulders. " My mother is probably cracking it cause I haven't come home yet, plus the bus takes forty-five minutes from here to get to Tamachi."

" Don't worry, I'll back you up. Just tell your mother the truth -"

" I'll never hear the end. She'll go ballistic when she finds about the accident," Grace said. " She'll probably come nursing you everyday and giving you baskets of chocolate."

" That's fine by me!"

"Chocoholic."

Grace gave a nod and headed towards the door. She lifted the back of her hand, not turning her back to face Sora, as she gave a silent goodbye until Sora yelled after her.

" Remember to check my mail!"

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The doorbell rang. He twisted to see the clock – reading 09:43pm. He jumped up from his seat and went to answer the door. As soon as he had opened it, Grace came charging in. That was twice in one day that his year eleven student had shocked and caught him off guard.

He still hadn't recuperated from the fact that Sora and Grace were related. It was a blow to the system. He looked down at the younger version of Sora as she arose to blabber on.

" …so you've got to help me, Mr. I!"

" **What**?" he queried, hands raised vigorously in the air. " _How _did you get here?"

" I walked," she responded. " Just found out you live about three streets away from me."

" No," Yamato paused. " _How _did you find out my address?"

" Found it in Sora's address book, but that doesn't matter!" Grace declared. " There's something more important to talk about."

" It better be because I do think it's really strange that one of my students comes meddling into my household especially if someone sees you here. A teacher and student together out of school grounds always looks bad," Yamato said as he gave on last gaze behind her and shut the door.

" You and me? That's eww!" she announced.

" I double that," Yamato agreed, adding a nod. " Take a seat."

As she did, Yamato cleaned up a bit. His apartment was a huge mess, he wasn't used to visitors. He was putting effort in finding his dirty jocks and tossing them into the laundry so Grace wouldn't see. He gave a relieved sigh since her attention was focused on making herself some coffee. Though he had to frown that she seemed rather comfortable and was making herself at home. It was strange. Or was he that was simply overreacting?

He thrust some random trash into the bin and headed back to where Grace was. Currently, her head was buried into one of his photo albums.

" Is that…_Sora_?" her head lifted so that he could have an equal view of the image as she pointed at a specific figure in the photograph.

" Yeah," he said, eyes sparkling with amusement as he reminisced when the photo had been taken. " Taken at our high school graduation assembly."

His eyes familiarized at what he saw. He couldn't help but let a smirk play on his lips when he saw both he and Tai had an arm around each other with both their teeth firmly gnawed on their graduation certificate. Taichi's other arm was wrapped around Mimi's waste in possession. And Sora was besides Tai's present fiancé as she held on the certificate looking shyly towards the photograph with one of her pleasant simplistic smiles.

" _I thought so_…"

Yamato's eyes darted from the photo to Sora's cousin rather questioningly. " What?"

" I thought so," she repeated snickering at the obvious impatience written on her teacher's facial expression. " I can see it now. It's as clear as water. **It's her**…_isn't it_? She was the one that you fell in love with…the one that you regretted to tell your feelings to, isn't it?"

" Who?" Yamato asked, even though he knew the answer.

" It's Sora!" Grace proclaimed. " If you two get together…you'll become my cousin-in-law!"

" That sounds scary," Yamato laughed. " And what makes you think that we'll ever get together. I've liked her since elementary school…that's crazy enough how it is!"

" She likes you too."

He kept silent for a while as he pushed his faintest vibe of hope aside. " How can you be sure? How would _you_ know?"

" I just do. Of course I know! You're just both just too stubborn to admit it to each other!" she muttered. " Sora and I are close, she's my only cousin I have for all I know. She tells me everything. But I didn't expect that it was _you_ she liked! She called you Matt. And when I saw her reaction when she saw you today…it all clicked."

" Aren't you smart."

" I know," she replied jeeringly at her attempt to be conceited.

Yamato gave a gruff cough. He disliked going around in circles. " So what's the real reason you came here for?"

Grace took an envelope from her satchel she had brought along and handed it to him. He read the company name aloud, " _Garde Collective_."

She stared at him, awaiting his reaction.

His eyes widened. " Are you serious?"

She grinned.

This had to be the third shock that day.

" Tell me, fill me in," he said.

She nodded. " It's a letter from that fashion label. It seems that Sora has showed her display folio to them and I assume they liked her work because they want to interview her _tomorrow_."

" Sora? Fashion label?" he said. " I thought she was a nurse!"

" She is, but she designs behind the scenes. She didn't exactly give up."

He _thought_, after all this time that she had given up. In a way, she had kept their childhood promise. His lips curled but instantly turned the opposite direction. " But her interview's tomorrow!"

" That's why you've got to help me!"

" I don't understand…"

" We need to do something! She's not allowed out of the hospital! And if she doesn't turn up, her life opportunity will be blown. We've got to think of something!" she cried.

Staying quiet, an idea speared into his mind. His eyes darted between the high school picture of Sora then at Grace.

" What?" it was her turn to ask.

" I've got an _idea_…"

Somehow, Grace didn't like her teacher's tone of voice.

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**Afternoon of the next day …**

He started the engine.

" That was so embarrassing and humiliating!" she stated forcefully as she got back into Yamato's new car. Her face was blushed red as she folded her arms, letting the folio drop onto her knees.

Unable to contain his curiousness, he blurted out. " So how'd the interview go?"

" Bad! I fumbled a lot…"

" How'd it go" he asked curiously. " Did she get accepted?"

" They've accepted her work. I requested that if it would be fine if she started a few months later because of Sora's condition. They said it was fine cause they loved her work so much!"

" That's insane!"

" No…me looking like her is _more _insane!" Grace howled in laughter. Yamato's idea had worked, though she was still disappointed for loosing a quarter of her hair's length. Her resemblance to Sora was close to identical. And when she dressed into Sora's formal sensible clothing…she no longer looked Grace. It was a miracle that the scheme had worked.

" You're telling her that she got accepted. We're going to the hospital now, Mr. I," she spoke in urgency.

"No we aren't! What makes you have the right to decide where I'm driving?" Yamato said he exited the parking lot, hands firmly gripping the wheel. " Heavens no! She doesn't even know that she was offered an interview in the first place!"

" We're going," she stated as she turned the wheel to the direction where the hospital was situated at. " Come on! It's only a few blocks away from here."

" That's not the case! Do you want me to have another car crash?" he grumbled. " Let go of the wheel."

"**NO**." Grace replied angrily, eyes firing dangerously. " We've _got_ to go, Mr. I!"

He inhaled deeply and focused on the road, this time going towards the way Grace wanted them to drive off to. " Why?"

He could feel her gaze penetrating through his barrier. She knew him well, he had to give it to her.

" Yamato," she said. Grace had never addressed her teacher by his first name before. " Do you remember when I caught you singing that song and talking to you about the girl you loved? I remember. You said that you owed me for talking sense into you. And this time I want to use this favour towards my advantage."

" Tell me then, Grace," he said stiffly as he turned around the curb.

" She'll be happy that **you** tell her. I've done my part for playing as her…now I want you to do _yours_."

" Well, I did think of the idea," he pointed out, but met Grace's blazing emerald eyes. He gave in.

He wondered how weak he had become and started to question that perhaps men were the weakest sex since females could easily persuade them.

Within minutes they had arrived back at Odaiba Hospital, presently walking towards Sora's room. When they reached their destination, Yamato felt Grace push him into the patient's room. The pair greeted Sora and then Grace made a getaway saying that she would get sodas for them.

" Her hair, she loved it." Sora stared after her little cousin then fell onto Yamato. " It's different. _Explain_."

Soon enough, Yamato had given her the full explanation at what happened from Grace seeing the letter, finding his home address and disguising herself at the interview.

With every word he could see that Sora looked furious at what Grace and he had done.

" Grace went so she couldn't get told off by me, didn't she? Well that doesn't matter," Sora glared as she sat up from her bed, her posture still managing to be straight under her injured condition. " Yamato, I expected better from you. I thought you're an adult. You're such an _idiot_!"

The blond headed man gulped in sudden concern for his own health. Sora's bad side didn't look good, especially when she was angry.

But then to his surprise, she started collapsing into fit of giggles. Her beauty sparkled as amusement filled her lively expression. She hadn't laughed so hard in a while, and she couldn't help the tears fall down from her face.

" Okay, you got me," Yamato rolled his eyes, maintaining his cool as his hands rested on his hips, clearly not amused.

" I can't believe you guys actually did that for me! I really owe you guys the world," she laughed. " But unfortunately I don't own it. Thank you."

" You're welcome," he replied with a sneer rather cockily.

" Come here, Yamato."

The man edged towards her. Catching him off guard, for who know how many times that day, she suddenly clasped her arms around him in a tight embrace. His expression remained neutral, only his azure eyes widening gave his astonishment away.

" _Thanks_…"

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	14. Picking up the Pieces: Chapter Six

Last Edited: 3o.12.o5

Written: 21.11.o5

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**Do You Still Think of Me?**

**PART TWO – Picking up the fragments**

Chapter Six

By _Flipstahhz_

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The bell rang.

He closed the textbook that he had been reciting from and switched off the music. Before he had even dismissed the class, his students were already packing up their belongings and were racing towards the door. It was Friday, of course.

" That's it for class! No homework today cause I trust you're all revising for your other semester exams! In class, we just learnt the background information on meditation music, so give mediation a try since you'll be stressing out with your exams. It does wonders!" the teacher called after his students then let out a sigh, " But I doubt you're all going to meditate anyway."

" What's the point of meditation music?" a random pupil questioned.

" It's soothing, calming and relaxing," Yamato said the first three words that came to his mind.

" Later, Mr. I!" walking by students waved as they walked by him, he offered a tired smile as he lifted his hand to farewell them.

He was glad he was a part of the grammar school. The thing he had noticed was how it was different from any other schools was because students and teachers worked together and pushed grudges aside to achieve better marks.

Auburn streaks of hair caught his eye. He remembered. " Grace! Can I speak to you before you leave? I'll only be a couple of minutes."

" Oh a teacher-and-student-affair!" one of the younger teenage boys jested with amusement twinkling in his warm chocolate shaded eyes. Grace shot him a deathly glare, causing the boy with jet-black hair to prance out of the room. She gathered her books and headed towards the front of the classroom to where her teacher had been standing.

" Jeremy's such an idiot," she stated, displeased with her classmate.

A smile flickered on Yamato's face. The boy was the typical class clown that was always up to some sort of mischief. Whilst in class, Yamato had caught him casually stealing glances at Grace when she wasn't looking. Teachers were not fools to not know the glimpses of romance appearing with their own pupils during class time.

" Sir?" Grace raised an eyebrow curiously. " What's going on? What did you want to see me about?"

Yamato carefully took a seat, and sipped some hot coffee that he was tending to drink a lot of lately. He gave a soft grown as he edged to the ride side of the desk to fetch a brochure from one of his various folders.

" You're still hurting from the accident?"

" Yeah, just minor aches though. It'll go away soon. Nothing compared to your cousin's," he shrugged. The accident had only happened a month ago, and already plenty of events had occurred. The highlight would have to be when Grace dressed up as Sora for the interview and being there to witness Sora's delight when she found out she had been accepted for the job. He could feel Grace still staring at him. He chuckled, handing her a brochure. " Here."

" What's this …" she paused, eyes widening in excitement as a grin spread on her lips. " No way! But _how_?"

Yamato leaned back on the chair. He had expected this reaction. " I personally recommended you to one of the best music university's in Odaiba. Grace, give the scholarship a go."

" But…this is _bizzare_!" she blurted. " There is no way in hell I would get into the top university!"

" Language," he reminded, he was still a teacher after all. She nodded obediently, hushing down. He continued to speak, " Stop putting yourself down like that. There is no denying that you are one of the best music students in this school…no…one of the few talented people in Tamchi _and_ Odaiba!"

She stood there, taken back. Being complimented by a teacher was strange enough as it was…but being told that she was one of the few music talented people in a town was beyond crazy. She frowned, " Mr. I, you're not just saying that because I'm related to Sora…_are you_?"

He took yet another sip from his mug off coffee. " No Grace. I've known your talent before I even found out your relation to each other. Don't ruin this opportunity. I even wish I had your talent. I could only make a band…and I know for a fact that you can surpass me and do much more! You're an expert at saxophone and any song you hear, you can pick up the notes on piano within an hour."

She wasn't going to deny what her teacher had said, but she felt hesitant to taking the move. Grace was still year eleven and had one more year of schooling left. Jumping straight into university was a bit out of hand. " _But_…"

" Research the school. Just try it…I know you'll love it," he advised, staring at her straight in the eyes. She silently nodded and carefully placed the brochure into her school diary. She was about to leave, but decided to stay back. There were still things medaling in her mind that she wanted to get straightened out. She was the type of person to face her problems straight away and she hated watching her cousin and Yamato beat around the bush.

" You should visit her, you know? It's been a month …ever since the accident. I've heard that you visited her everyday. But after you telling her that she got accepted, your attendance to her gradually deceased."

" She's getting better," he said quietly. " She doesn't need me. I've been far to busy anyway…correcting work."

" A pretty lame excuse, Mr. I. Corrections with meditation music? I don't think so," Grace objected. " Stop denying it, go straight there, offer a rose…and say I love you! At least do _something_!"

" It's not that easy…"

" It is easy, but the two of you are making it difficult!" she exclaimed.

" Fine, I'll go," he sighed. " But why does it always has to the man that confesses first? It's so old fashioned."

" It's more romantic," Grace winked. He shook his head.

" More like sappy…"

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He turned off the engine and hurtled towards the florist shop. He was still tired from work and exhaustedly attempted to pull the door open. Unfortunately, it didn't do as he willed it to do. Curiously he squinted his eyes to see through the glass door. The florist appeared dormant for quite a while. There were no flowers inside the shop and all the curtains had been drawn causing the place to be dark from the lack of sunlight. It was ironic how he was planning to buy a bouquet of flowers for Sora from her own store. He had suspected that Sora would have at least hired someone else to work while she lay inside her hospital bed, but he was obviously wrong.

He frowned. Sora wouldn't receive flowers after he confessed. Suddenly the frown wiped off his face when he realized that he had finally gained the confidence to admit to loving her. He progressed back into his vehicle and drove off to Odaiba Hospital. Jumbled thoughts sprung up in his mind, supplying him with a new source of adrenaline. It had been a while since he had been this thrilled. Though, there was always the thought of him being rejected … but he wasn't putting any attention to that.

Soon enough he had arrived to the hospital. He jogged into the building, waited in line then finally got the chance to talk to the secretary of Sora's whereabouts. The hospital always moved around their patients, and Yamato knew that Sora wouldn't be in the same room as she had been in a month ago.

" Ms. Takenouchi?" the old woman restated in a shakily kind voice. She pushed her short grey hair behind her ears and gave a small smile. " Sorry dear, she left a couple of weeks ago. We let her out. Why don't you try her home?"

" Thanks for the help," he nodded and went back to his car for the second time.

Things weren't going well on the unprepared day he planned to confess to Sora. He chuckled. Life could be such a pest. Last stop, Takenouchi Residence. She **had** to be there. When he arrived at the apartments, he smartly decided that he wouldn't go charging to her home straight away without double-checking that she lived there.

The last time he had been to Sora's house was back in high school…so there was a pretty strong possibility that she had moved homes. He impudently took the mail from Sora's supposedly address and frowned when he saw that her name didn't match the person that lived in the apartment. He growled. This was his first and **_worst_** confession ever. He admitted that he used to date a while back, but he never confessed. _He had always saved the confession for only Sora_…

Feeling really bummed out, he decided to go for a walk around his old neighborhood. He continued to walk aimlessly and then became rather shocked when he found out that he had walked himself back to 'Odaiba Park.' A wry smile glinted on his face. Yamato seated himself onto one of the swings, avoiding the disturbing strands of blond hair that fought furiously against the wind.

The park brought back so many memories. They were mainly about _her_. He kicked himself off from the ground, gaining more movement as he swung higher and higher on the swing. He remembered the innocent promise back in primary school about achieving their dreams and never losing hope. Yamato had suspected she had broken the promise, but was wrong when Grace had revealed to him that she had an interview with a great fashion label. He thought that Sora had given up because she was taking a course in nursing, apparently he had misjudged her actions. He remembered how Tai and Mimi's engagement party was held at that park and just seeing her _there_ after a couple of years caused his love for her to rekindle. Emotions always managed to mentally stuff up a person, he thought.

He still could clearly picture her in his arms when they danced. The way she looked. The way she smiled - the dazzling smile that still haunted his dreams. And the laughter…the bubbly _laughter_ that could brighten any form of darkness and dread.

**He loved her**…

He loved her so much that he had forgotten how he had been not loving her. Clearly the gods didn't want him and her to get together after the unsuccessful journey of confession that day. He'd wait. He had waited _longer_ before. If only he had her address he would be with her right now, but he didn't. That was the reality behind it.

But fate was always there. Sooner or later something was bound to happen, and Yamato was going to wait for fate to take its course.

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She lazily yawned, sitting comfortably in her house that she had just moved into a week ago. That day she had sorted out all the boxes and cleaned the entire house by herself…the crutches weren't doing her any favours and was making it tough to do the household chores. She would easily be able to do the simple chores, that is if her leg hadn't been caught in the accident. It had taken her so long to sort out the whole house, but she was glad it was _finally_ done. She lounged about, her back sinking deeper into the couch as her eyes focused onto the television screen.

After being released from the hospital, a few days ago, she had enthusiastically read through the papers and new material for her new job. She was lucky that the letter had stated that she would start designing in half three months time. That was enough time for her to recover. It was strange living out of Odaiba just for the sake of her job…but what was even more strange was that her new job was in _Tamachi_, exactly in the same town Yamato was teaching and living in. It frightened her at first…but she was sick of running. She had been doing that all her life and now she wanted to change. She was going to have to face him one way or another. In her heart he was her past, present and future.

The doorbell rang. Creases of worry appeared on her forehead. It was unusual that someone would come and visit her. Hardly anyone knew she had moved to Tamachi. Only Mimi and Tai knew since they were the couple that had helped her move the furniture into her house in the first place. She hadn't told anyone else.

She carefully got off the couch, snatching the crutches besides her and limped towards the door. She hated being crippled.

" Hurry up!" a muffled cry came from behind the door.

She rolled her eyes, recognizing whom the voice belonged to and wrenched open the door. She snickered as she pointed one of her crutches towards the brunette headed boy's face. " On guard!"

He smirked back and took one of the crutches off her possession, causing her to hold onto her remaining one in risk of her life from toppling over. " Tai, you tight ass! Respect the crippled!"

He laughed and slipped the crutch back under her arm. The pair walked back to the lounge room and dropped onto the sofa. " What brings you here?"

" Just bored. What's a guy to do? I wanted to crash here cause there was nothing else to do. I thought you'd be lonely living here all by yourself…ya know?"

" How about Mimi?"

" She's talking the wedding planner. I'm sick of it, I just want the wedding to get over and done with…we don't need to know that the colour handles of the cutlery will be a pale pink! I really hate that colour," he muttered.

" How about Kari…" she paused, " And your best friend?"

" Kari's with TK at the doctor's because Stevie got a fever," Taichi explained. " And Matt…well…Matt's hardly around. He's busy with being a teacher, you know?"

" Yeah," she replied then mumbled," So you just visited me because cause there was no one else to visit?"

" Oh Sora, I didn't mean it like that that," he sniggered devilishly.

" I still can't believe your getting married! You act like a five-year-old!" she declared as she stuffed a pillow into his sniggering face. Immediately, he shook it off.

" Well…that's part of the real reason why I came."

" _Real reason_?" Sora arched an eyebrow.

" Mimi and I…we decided to delay the wedding for a bit," he said quietly but put a hand out in front of him to stop her from interrupting what he was about to say. " We couldn't go a month after all that has happened to our best friends. Yamato's mother passing away…and then both of you crashing into each other…"

" We ruined it for you, didn't we?" she asked guiltily.

" No you didn't," his eyes twinkled. He began to tell his story, " You know Sor, I used to have a crush on you ever since I saw my name on that whiteboard back in primary school…"

" I didn't…It wasn't-" he waved his hand in her face again so that he could continue his speech.

" But then…I realized that there was something going on between you and Yamato. I always thought the both of you would get together before Mimi and I. When Yamato was in the equation I knew I couldn't compete. He is my best friend after all," he chuckled scratching his head, he found it hilarious thinking back to memory lane. " But if it weren't for Yamato and your evident love bird tension around each other, Mimi and I would have never gotten together. I would have never fallen for her charms."

Sora smiled.

" That's why…we decided to wait for you guys and delay the wedding for another two months," he said with a toothy grin as he was reaching his conclusion. " Which is why…we're going to appoint you as both our best man and maid of honour until you guys finally admit to each other."

She gaped.

" But I know you still love me, it's the Kamiya charms," Taichi winked. Sora glowered and hit him again with another of her pillows. " So what do you say? All you have to do is get together with Yamato and then you've got yourself the permanent job as the maid of honour."

Sora stuck her tongue out. " That has to be one of the stupidest things I've ever heard!"

" But you'll at least make an effort?" his facial expression turned serious.

" I'll make an effort," she responded firmly with an unsure shrug.

¤ - ×- ×- ×- × - × - × - × - ×- ×- × - ¤


	15. Picking up the Pieces: Chapter Seven

Last Edited:27.o1.o6

Written: 22.12.o5

**Disclaimer:** I _don't _own Titanic. shudders

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**Do You Still Think of Me?**

**PART TWO – Picking up the fragments**

Chapter Seven

By _Flipstahhz_

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" Now," she prodded her chin thoughtfully as her eyes wandered down the shopping list. " I know I've forgotten _something_…"

Her eyes lit up when she remembered that she was going to baby-sit Stevie that night. Yes…she was going to buy chocolates. She felt giddy. She had a feeling that she was going to end up eating way more than the little tyke. She had the right to have an chocolate obsession since majority of the female population were chocoholics themselves.

She sighed as she stared at the aisles filled with items. Sora had never been fond of shopping…especially when she was using her crutches that constantly kept getting in her way. She couldn't even use the supermarket's shopping trolley because she'd lose her balance. Instead, she was using a shopping basket and was kicking it across the floor wherever she went. Sure, it was embarrassing..no _humiliating_ was the correct word…but she certainly didn't want to starve to death without the weekly supplies. If she were back in Odaiba, Mimi would probably of helped her out. But she was in Tamachi. She could've asked Grace, but Grace was studying for her exams. There was Yamato also…but she didn't want to hassle him. He was probably busy with schoolwork corrections.

She dropped two blocks of chocolate into the basket, then began to kick it to the serving counter.

" Sora?"

She turned around.

" Hey Matt," she smiled. She flushed realizing that her appearance must have looked rather awkward. A crippled lady that was kicking her basket along; it had to be very awkward indeed.

He laughed, scratching his head, " Still not used to seeing you with crutches."

Her eyebrows knitted. " Well, aren't you going to help me?"

She took a breather, catching some rest as she watched the man load her items onto the counter. She was bound to meet him one way or another. They basically lived in the same area…

" What are you doing here? I err went to – visited your err house," he spoke, tongue twisting. " But…I – you moved. Why are you here in Tamachi, it's quite a long drive…you know?"

Sora simpered. " I live here."

It was her turn to laugh at his surprised reaction. His eyes ogled at her. " You…_what_?"

" Got a promotion. The label's factory is here, in Tamachi…they're paying for my accommodation and all. I'm actually considering in staying in this town for good. It's quieter here, than it is back in Odaiba."

" Are you serious?"

" Yeah," Sora laughed, raising an eyebrow suspiciously. " Why?"

"Nothing really," he said impassively. " We're going to be in the same town…that's all."

" A bad thing?"

" Of course!" he said sarcastically. " Nuh, I'm glad that I've got some one from my childhood here. It's strange. The only people I know are the teachers and students at the school."

" Oh okay," Sora answered. Yeah, she was _only_ a childhood friend, nothing more. The person that was serving coughed. " Sorry."

Sora handed the cash and smiled in appreciation as she watched Yamato put all the grocery bags into a trolley.

"Matt, I …I carry – no - kick it with the basket. I can't push it with a trolley," Sora said truthfully.

" Don't worry, I'll push it for you," he said casually. " Where's your car?"

She spoke out the directions while he stirred the trolley into the parking lot. After a light spat, Yamato abducted the automobile's keys and – with care – jammed the groceries into the boot of the car.

Sora watched him. " You still feel bad, don't you?"

His startled blue eyes regarded her. She could read him like a book. "No-I…if I hadn't been so thick headed…you wouldn't be on those crutches right now…"

" Matt, please," she started. " You don't need to get all worked up about what happened. It's over. I'm just glad to be alive…and that's all that matters to me right now. You should be thankful too, only getting a few scratches and bruises."

" Could you…could you at least let me drive you to your apartment?" he said quietly. "As atonement for my wrong doings."

" Atonement? Please…it takes an idiot like you to come up with all of these stupid reasoning and apologies that couldn't be helped!" Sora rolled her eyes, giving up. " Fine. You can drive me back to my apartment. But after that…no more blaming yourself! You have no reason to be guilty over this!"

Yamato took her words as an excuse to open the door for her, assisting Sora into the passenger seat. After she was buckled up, he hopped into the driver's seat and triggered the engine.

" Where's your car?" Sora questioned. " Don't tell me you're going to walk back here to fetch it? I live about five blocks away from here!"

" Don't worry. I walked here. Needed some exercise. If you live five blocks away, your house is pretty close to mine," Yamato said, considering the other direction was heading towards Odaiba.

As Yamato drove down the main road, Sora rolled down the windows feeling the cold airburst onto her face. It felt refreshing, and she hoped that her pink cheeks would fade away. She hated people seeing her blush. They stopped at a traffic light.

" Yo! MR. I!"

One of the pedestrians on his skateboard stopped by her car.

" Hey Jeremy," Yamato noticed his pupil with a mild smile lingering on his face. " You shouldn't stop in the middle of the road to say hi. In seconds the light could turn green, you know. But I don't think you'll listen to me anyway."

" You know me to well, Mr. I. So why are you with Grace out of school hours? Are you having a secret affair?" the boy glanced at Sora, but looked closer to see that it wasn't her. " Hey…you're not Grace!"

" I think I know that," Sora replied in a matter of fact tone. " I think you'd better get moving…the light's turned green."

She was right. Soon tumbles of beeping horns filled the Tamachi air.

" Catch you around, Mr. I! Your wife's pretty hot!" Jeremy sped off before Yamato could call back to his student that Sora indeed wasn't his 'wife.'

" Turn left here. Number 58," Sora instructed. The blond headed man stopped the car in front of her apartment. She frowned when she noticed that his jaw was tense. " _What_?"

Yamato gave up. He let his peels of laughter escape his mouth. " He thinks you're my wife! I mean…are we really that old that we look like we're married?"

" That's not funny, Matt," Sora glared, fists curled menacingly, but she was snickering. " I'm not **that** old! You're the old one!"

"Well…you're not that young either!" in self-defense, the man quickly waved his palms in front of him, but he was still gloating it up….chuckling like a mad man.

" Same goes for you," she snapped, she folded her arms. But the next thing she knew it…she couldn't resist it either. They were now both cracking up in laughter in unison. " Yo-you…my husband? That's a crack…up! First he thought I was Grace…then he thinks I'm five generations older! Some kids you're teaching, Yamato. Why don't you knock some common sense into them!"

" You're bagging your own cousin."

" I don't care!"

They burst into more fits of laughter.

"Y-you…you wanna come in? We're here anyway….I'll cook you dinner," Sora nodded her head towards her apartment.

He gave a broad grin. " Sure."

¤ - ×- ×- ×- × - × - × - × - ×- ×- × - ¤

"I'm stuffed," Yamato groaned as he languidly sat on the couch, eyeing the television screen. He shoved over so Sora could take a seat next to him. She had just completed washing the dishes. Yamato had argued to help, but she said he had helped her enough that night.

"Care for some red wine?" Sora didn't wait for an answer, pouring out two glasses of the blood scarlet liquid.

He accepted the offer, taking a sip. " Though, I prefer white wine."

" Same here…ran out of it."

" I assumed you would have liked red wine."

She arched an eyebrow. " And why is that?"

" Well…red is you're favourite colour…unless it changed over these years," Yamato shrugged, changing the station to a movie channel. He didn't understand why he still remembered her favourite colour. He avoided his thoughts, gazing back to the television. He was glad that she had cable television.

" It's the same. I still like a red," she smiled. " Didn't know you'd remember."

" What's mine?" he said softly.

" Your what?"

" My favourite colour."

Without pausing, she responded, " Dark blue."

" Didn't know you'd remember too," Yamato smirked, but it was soon wiped off when a cushion spat onto his face. " Careful…you almost knocked over the wine, Sora dear!"

Sora rolled her eyes. " You're still the same. The same cocky idiot."

" Me? Cocky?" he pretended to appear appalled, "_N__ever_!"

" Just like in elementary when we were paired in bat tennis. Inter-school sports…" she eyed him. " You thought I didn't know how to play just because I was a _girl._ And then you hogged most of the balls, showing off!"

He sneered. " Me! _Never._"

" Give original and non-repetitive comebacks!"

" If I did," he gave a sly simper. " I'd win instantly."

" Whatever," she leaned back on the chair next to her, smile tugging her lips.

He _remembered…_

Sora certainly wasn't going to admit it because she knew his ego would expand enormously than it already had. Taking the silence as a justification, Yamato switched the channel. It so happened that the movie that was screening was…

" _Titanic_?" Sora almost choked on her wine, gurgling in titters. It had been a while since she had seen the movie, and she seriously wasn't willing to watch it again. Saps weren't her type of films to watch. They more categorized under Mimi's interest.

" That's terrible, change it Matt!"

Yamato set the remote onto the coffee table. " Let's watch it."

" Are you for real?"

" Aren't I always?" he gave a toothy grin. Then his smile evaporated when she slapped him on the face, with a cushion, for the second time that night. He wasn't going to give into defeat that easily. He shrugged. " C'mon Sor. There's nothing else on T.V, let's just watch this."

" And then what? Watch them pretend they're flying on a ship?" she said bitterly in pure utter derision. She didn't want to watch a romance…especially with _him_ around. It would be just…surreal. No, beyond surreal. Sure, she had probably wanted it badly when she was back in high school. But this…this felt so fake…yet so…_special_

" You should know me better than that," he chuckled. " Tai and I watch these sort of movies all of the time."

Sora gaped. " What? That's -"

" As a matter in fact, we're straight," he told her, shaking his head as he attempted to get the thought as quickly as possible out of his mind.

" I wasn't going to say that!" Sora rolled her eyes. " I mean…Tai's with Mimi…but why in the world do you watch them?"

" What we do…" he paused. " Is bag the shit out of them."

She tilted her head towards him, interested. " Example please?"

" Just wait for it," he laughed…it was as if he knew every scene because as every second came closer he began choking for gasps of air, trying not to erupt in chuckles. Sora gazed at the screen to see that Jack and Rose were fornicating each other in the car.

" What's funny about this?"

" I think the movie won awards because of this scene. I do recall that this sort of sexual intercourse doesn't require a hand on the window to be shown with smog surrounding it. It's pure stupidity."

Sora blinked. " Are you done?"

He continued, " I mean…cheap porno beats the special effects in this movie."

He stopped, glancing at Sora's shocked and disgusted look on her face.

" So…is this what you and Tai do during watching sappy romances?" Sora laughed. It was typical of them to. What do you expect from men watching chick flicks. She smirked. " I think I'll join in on this debate."

" Go ahead."

" You see when Jack and Rose jest that they feel like they're flying when they're on the tip of the ship?"

" You're never going to beat the expert," Matt said. " But…_yes_…?"

" I mean…if they want to pretend they're flying…they seriously shouldn't have used all that money on the special effects. All Rose could have done is stayed at home and jumped on her bed with her window open on a windy day."

" Or an electric fan," Matt added.

" They didn't have electric fan's in those times."

" So what? They still made special effects with the whole hand-on-window incident," he pointed out. " Body head couldn't stimulate that effect."

" You never know," Sora shrugged.

Before they knew it, they stripped off into more fits of laughter. They were talking about nonsense over a stupid movie.

" And I don't even know why my friends go crazy over Leo DeCaprio. He's not hot!" Sora exclaimed. " If you look closely you see these little -"

" Don't bag my favourite actor!" Yamato announced, though the glints of amusement in his eyes gave his sarcasm away. It earned him a third stab from the petrifying cushion of death.

After the whole movie had ended, the pair had criticized almost every aspect of the movie in complete enjoyment. (As well as Yamato earning himself more hits by Sora's cushion)

" I knew that you still had it in you!" he declared. Underneath the labeled clothes Sora was attired in, she was still a tomboy at heart. Now _this_ was the Sora he knew…

They high-fived each other.

" I never thought I'd like that movie," Sora admitted. " You've turned this movie into something worth while…"

The bell rang.

Sora staggered towards the door, legs feeling like jelly. She hadn't drunk that much wine…yet she felt a bit tipsy. She opened it, with Yamato looming after her. She wanted to hit her head when she saw Mr. and Mrs. Takaishi standing there with their little tike that she had forgotten to baby-sit.

" Sowa!" little Stevie cried as he leapt into her arms.

" Matt, I didn't know you were here," TK noticed his brother's figure, his facial expression looked a tinge guilty. " I would have asked you to look after Steven, but I thought you'd be busy with school corrections…which was why I asked Sora -"

" Don't worry bro," he responded casually as he observed the formal wear Kari and TK were wearing. " What's the occasion?"

" Our wedding anniversary," Kari confessed, slight blush pinching onto her pale face.

"Congratulations!" Sora grinned. He gazed down at Steven. " Is this why I'm stuck with this lil twerp?"

" I'm notta lil tleerp!" he stuttered, pouting. This only caused Kari to give her son a kiss on the cheek. " We'll be back before twelve."

Yamato, Sora and Steven watched the pair leave.

" Lovebirds," Yamato stated, smiling at his brother and sister-in-law leaving them.

¤ - ×- ×- ×- × - × - × - × - ×- ×- × - ¤

Sora thought that Yamato would have left hours ago, but from the looks of things he was still in her apartment assisting her in taking care of his nephew. After spoiling Steven with attention and drugging him with bombards of lollies and chocolates, the boy had finally dozed off.

The man yawned. " I think it's best if I leave now."

" Oh Matt, let me at least repay you with some coffee."

" But you just fed me dinner and offered me free screenings to sappy movies…what else can a guy ask for?"

" Coffee," she confirmed, rushing to the kitchen and boiling the water.

" Sure, there's that," Yamato surrendered. Knowing there was nothing good on television, he followed her into the neatly well-kept kitchen. Sora didn't even notice that he was there.

He watched her. Her brown eyes held a distant gaze…as if she wasn't in reality…as if she was somewhere else. Her apron wrapped around her thin figure and her shiny auburn hair glistened, giving her the touches of some sort of celebrity. Her character didn't suit being in kitchens. Perhaps that was why she suited being a clothes designer.

He had a great time that night…a great time in a _long time…_

As she put a couple of teaspoons of sugar into a mug, she still appeared to be somewhere else…locked in her own imagination.

"Sora…"

He held a chuckle when she jumped to the reaction of him calling her name. Maybe it was time to keep Grace's promise. Her eyelids fluttered towards his direction, making him feel uneasy.

"Didn't see you there!" she let out an exasperated sigh.

"You…you still space out, don't you? Aren't you happy you've achieved your dream?"

She stared. " I didn't achieve my dream."

" You got what you wanted."

" That's the thing with _you_, Yamato. There's a difference between you and me," she said sternly, though her eyes were glued to the tiled floor. " You dream more than me."

He generalized, " All dreamers are the same."

" Not when they dream of different things," Sora whispered. " Like I did…"

_Make your move **now**_…

" Do you remember the first day of high school we shared together? – When our campuses combined?" She didn't wait for him to answer, still staring at the floor. " You owe me a favour after that time I covered up for you …"

He stared at her bemused, not knowing where the confabulation was leading. " What -"

She silenced him. " Close your eyes, Yamato Ishida."

Matt trusted her. His eyes shut close only to have them reopened when he felt her mouth clasp against his. The osculate wasn't sweet…no…it was very un-Sora like. It held a sense of desperation and longing…_how long had she wanted it…how long had he?_

_He thought he would be the one confessing…_

Recovering from astonishment, he kissed her back throwing his thoughts aside and following his natural instinct. He shivered as her fingers ran down his hair and caress his cheek lovingly. He wanted every bit of her…he wanted to take every bit of her and claim her as his possession. His eyes lingered on the droplets of tears gushing down her face. He could see that she was sobbing as they kissed. They let go…

"Sora…do you lov-."

"Don't say it," she laughed timidly. " This is turning out to be one of those sappy movies."

He returned a weak smile.

" I dreamt…but I never got it. I didn't care if I got the lifetime job I wanted, Matt," she muttered. Her eyes engaged with his. " The dream- No…my childhood dream…was to only be with you…and that….that was all that mattered."

" That was my dream too," he said, stroking her auburn hair and letting his arms fall tightly around her waist. He didn't want to let her go. " I guess we had the same dream after all."

"Matt…I lov-" she was unable to choke the words out. Her weak fragile figure enticed him. He gently pushed her head upwards and uncontrollably kissed her. They didn't know how long they explored each other for the first time…but they were rudely interrupted…

" Mommy and daddy take der clodes off next, ya know?"

They released each other. Yamato shuddered, " Don't tell me what TK – my baby brother - does with Hikari."

Sora suppressed a giggle as she straightened up, tucking her hair behind her ears. " We thought you were asleep, Stevie."

Steven was rubbing his eyes, he grumbled, " I wan hot chocolate!"

The kettle cried.

" I'll get it," she said, leaving Yamato's grasp.

Yamato gave his nephew a hard cold stare. They were interrupted.

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**This chapter dragged. Yes, a 'finally' sappy conclusion to one of my chapters. First Kiss! LOL. How long did that take? HAHA! Told you it was a 'very' slow Sorato. Haha. Now that this chapter has been completed there are three more to go! (including the Epilogue) How scary. I loved writing this story, I hope you all have enjoyed it too!**

**Take care. Love**

**Flipstahhz**

**Next Chapter:** To cut things simple, it's the night before Taichi & Mimi's wedding. Tai's having a bachelor party ;D

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	16. Picking up the Pieces: Chapter Eight

Last Edited: 27.o1.o6

Written: o8.o1.o6

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**Do You Still Think of Me?**

**PART TWO – Picking up the fragments**

Chapter Eight

By _Flipstahhz_

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" So we're not hiring strippers?" Daisuke said skeptically. " Ohh…_man_! That's not fair! I've never heard of a Bachelor's party with no strippers!"

The guys chortled at the brunette. The day had come to a close and it was nighttime. They had all gathered together to celebrate Taichi's last night of being 'free' from Mimi's alleged wrath.

Taichi waved his hands in the air as he pointed at Takeru with Steven in his arms, " Firstly, Dai, we are so called _partying_ in my sister's house. Secondly…it's not a good idea when Stevie's here."

" And thirdly?" Daisuke's eyebrow furrowed, questionably.

" All of us men here are obligated to our own girls," Taichi winked. " While you are still maintaining your single status."

The guys laughed harder.

Yamato Ishida looked around the lounge room, pondering. Well, in a way what Tai said was true. Jyou was dating Daisuke's older sister. Takeru was a happy married man. Apparently, Kent was also seeing someone. And it was clearly obvious of Taichi's status.

And Yamato?

He chuckled to himself…it still felt strange knowing he was 'taken' by the woman he had loved for so long. When everyone found out that both Sora and he was finally 'officially' an item, they weren't surprised – no their reactions was just laughter. It was obvious they already knew. And when Sora and he found out _how_ their friends knew…they felt completely humiliated and embarrassed.

He shuddered at the thought. Yamato's eyes darted to the youngest boy on his brother's lap - the troublesome toddler. Yes, it was all Stevie's doing. At a young age, Steven was already doing wonders – the meddlesome kid.

From what Yamato had found out, the little boy had told both Kari and TK about Sora and his 'intimate' time when they were babysitting him. Something like, " _They didn't take their clodes ofb!"_

Yamato thought to himself …

_**Somehow**, not mentioning any names (KARI & TK!), had blabbed it out to Tai and Mimi and as fast as a torpedo they're wedding was happening within a week. Ha. Little Steven was Mimi and Tai's beacon of life._

" …about it, Yamato?"

He blinked, his transfixed gaze from Steven traveled to his best friend. " Pardon, Tai?"

" Ah…sorry for disturbing your thoughts of Ms. Takenouchi-soon-to-be-Ishida. You're probably missing her already. Don't worry, you'll see her tomorrow…looking her best for Mimi and my wedding."

Yamato choked, a light shade of pink invading his cheeks. This time the group of guys were not laughing at Daisuke – but at him. Garh…_and he thought being humiliated by Steven was enough_…

" Tai was just wondering," Kent took over the groom. " If you're up for any drinking games?"

" Count me out," Jyou muttered, waving his hands. " Alcohol causes cirrhosis to the liver."

" Thus says the doctor," TK sniggered, but his facial expression turned serious. " I guess it's the same with me – I've got a child to tend to. I'll probably stay here if any of you guys do anything out of hand that may damage my house."

" Alright. That can't be helped," Kent shrugged. A reckless grin slid on his face. " This reminds me back at our Graduation party, right Yamato?"

Matt groaned. What was with everyone and picking on him lately? Sure, it was good to finally be around his friends after living a lonely unsociable life in Tamachi, but he was starting to question that living in Tamachi was better and less humiliating than living in his hometown.

" Please explain," Daisuke prodded, his mischievousness flickering in his warm chocolate eyes.

" Well, back in those days," Kent smiled, enjoying the blond headed boy squirm in his seat uncomfortably. " Yamato was a hell of a drinker. But when final years of school came, he settled. But at the graduation he drank like crazy. I mean, he can't take liquor good. From only three drinks of beer he already was in a bad state."

" Right, Kent," Yamato rolled his eyes, recalling what happened that night. He remembered having some sort of uneasiness with Sora, so he got upset with himself and took Kent's drink. " That drink was yours, Kent. Don't you remember? I got a bit sick after that. Some one drugged it, and it was meant to be for you. You're lucky I drank it for you. In other words, be thankful _biatch_. I saved your ass."

" What, what!" Daisuke bellowed as he high-fived Matt. " Looks like Mr. Ishida is back in the house!"

" Of course, we are all in a house," TK corrected, a sly smirk curling on his lips.

" Shut up, TJ!"

Kent sneered, ignoring the two younger men at the 'party'. " Gee Yamato, I didn't see you complaining! Oh…of course…because Sora was nursing you at that time!"

" Ay Matt! You never told me that! Some best friend you are!" Taichi said as he placed a hand over his heart, pretending to be hurt.

It was relaxing. Yamato hadn't felt this much relaxed in such a long time…and he was praising every moment of it…even though everyone was bagging the shit out of him.

" Let the drinking games begin!"

" You think you can handle it, Matty-baby?" his former band member gave a suggesting wink.

" I challenge you, Kent. How many beers can you take?"

" Fifty!"

" Well, too bad," Tai jumped in. " I'll beat both your asses!"

" Is that so?" Yamato sniggered.

" Yeah, is that a threat?" Kent added.

" The groom is **_always_** the winner!" Taichi announced. " I betcha I can double fifty!"

"I'm in too!" Daisuke grumbled.

Takeru and Jyou shrugged at each other.

" I bet you Daisuke is going to pass out first," TK said, grabbing the wallet from his pocket and counting his money. " Twenty-five dollars sound good enough?"

"I'm in. After what Tai said, I think your brother's going to pass out first," Jyou laughed. " I'm winning this bet!"

Stevie laughed too, though he was unsure what he was laughing at. The poor boy was going to witness a whole bunch of grown men turn psycho…

¤ - ×- ×- ×- × - × - × - × - ×- ×- × - ¤

She wasn't satisfied.

The auburn headed woman stared at the king size bed in front of her in Mimi and Tai's apartment. Laid upon it, were four identical dresses. The only thing that wasn't identical between the four dresses was that each dress had a varied size. Sora Takenouchi's eyes scrutinized over all four of the dresses.

She had designed all the dresses from every stitch. It had only taken her a week to get all the dresses done (of course with the help from the new company she worked at and getting cheaper discounts for the materials used). Still…she wasn't particularly satisfied with the outcome of how she designed the bridesmaid's design for her best friend's wedding.

Since Sora was forced to come up with a design on the spot, she selected the first styled dressed she had designed back in high school. The dress that was coloured black, made of silk with a criss-cross pattern formed on the back that consisted of a halter neck that was tied around the neck twice to appear as if the person that was to wear it had a necklace choker on. Of course, Sora had altered the design to suit the wedding. Instead of having the 'choker' effect on the dress, she had designed it to wrap only once around the neck and to form a small silk bow…making the dress appear unique. Also, instead of the dresses being black silk, she had decided on a pale cream to match all the pink cutlery and decorations at the venue. Too much pink would over do it.

Mimi **had **wanted a simple wedding. And usually simplicity looked the best. Over doing it, was enough. Sora was well aware that Mimi and Tai were well over their expenses because of rescheduling and so forth…which was why she had volunteered to design the dresses. Yet…she couldn't help but feel uneasy about it. She _knew_ there was something missing.

Instead of celebrating the bride's party, Sora had snuck into Mimi's room to double check on the dresses. Sora was becoming stressed…she had 'finished' all the dresses before schedule …but she dearly wanted to make some modifications.

The bedroom door gaped open.

" Sora?"

" Oh, hey Meems."

" Why aren't you out with everyone else?" Mimi queried as she stood next to her, gazing upon the silk dresses on her bed.

" There's something missing…," Sora said truthfully.

" Sora," Mimi assured. " The dresses are perfect. I don't know what you're talking about! The wedding's tomorrow…you don't need to alter them anymore. The dresses are beautiful as they are."

" But it feels like…I'm missing _something_."

" If you don't even trust my judgment, then could you at least let me get a glimpse on my wedding gown?"

Sora glared.

" I was kidding, Sorr!" Mimi giggled. " I already know I'll love it cause seeing the bridesmaids dresses are absolutely spectacular!"

The auburn haired woman had selected the suits for the men, designed all the dresses _including _Mimi's gown. They were her presents to both Mimi and Tai for their wedding. The hardest challenge was measuring and designing Mimi's gown without letting her try it on. The gown was going to be a surprise for her best friend. She felt a bit worried that Mimi wouldn't like the dress since she hadn't even showed Mimi yet. But both Yamato and Taichi had reassured her that the bride would adore it (even though they had no expertise in clothing whatsoever).

" Oh Sora, do you like the flowers Tai sent me?" Mimi questioned as she cradled the bouquet in her arms.

_Flowers…_Sora considered.

" That's it!" she said aloud.

" What's it? You like the flowers, don't you? I thought so!"

" Yeah, the flowers are beautiful…but that's besides the point!"

Mimi looked at her, baffled. " And the _point_ is?"

The brunette headed bride watched Sora as she sat on the ground and took one of the huge plastic bags she had brought along with her that night. She spilled the contents onto the ground, displaying a pale cream silky mess.

" Sora?"

Sora ignored Mimi as she took some other utensils from her bag, cutting strips of silk in a specific way. " I just hope this doesn't fray…"

" Sora?" Mimi repeated again, still bewildered what her best friend was going on about. "You shouldn't be working…you should be relaxing and getting some rest for tomorrow…**SORA**?"

That finally caught her attention.

" What _are_ you doing?"

" I'm making flowers with the left over material!" Sora said excitedly. " Then I'll attach them to the dresses!"

" Are you crazy?"

Mimi's eyes widened. " You've done enough…"

" Mimi…just let me finish this off, please? I know I'll get this done. _Please?_"

" Sure. It's not like you're going to listen to me anyway," Mimi frowned. " But I want to ask something first, before you continue doing this…"

" Yes?" Sora looked up from the pair of scissors and silk in her hands.

" Well…I never really got to talk to you by yourself for a while…with everything so hectic with the wedding. I personally wanted to, as a best friend, congratulate you finally getting your man. I'm glad that you're finally together with him. My maid of honour and Tai's best man…what else could be better, huh?" she laughed, cracking a smile.

" Thanks Mimi," Sora returned a beam.

" Who would have though about it. Sora Takenouchi's first boyfriend is _the _Yamato Ishida from the Teen-Age Wolves!" Mimi declared, whistling.

Sora's simper widened.

" Haha. Before you get started on this, why don't you just eat dinner with all of us. I don't want you to overwork," Mimi laughed.

She guided Sora to the dining room where Kari and Jun were seating eating and chattering along.

" ….yeah, I just hope TK's taking care of Steven. And that there's not strippers in my house. And no vomit on the carpet," Kari listed. " I hope my baby is okay! But if I had brought Steven…I was scared he might of dirtied the dresses….and Mimi's house!"

" Don't worry about him, he belongs with the guys. This is a all-female strange dinner party, true?" Jun Motomiya smiled. She suggested, " I say we hire guy strippers!"

" Somehow, I think you're brother would have said the same thing at the bachelor party…only that he would be referring to female strippers," Mimi winked.

The woman gossiped on, until they could gossip no more.

¤ - ×- ×- ×- × - × - × - × - ×- ×- × - ¤

**Thanks To:** PrincessSakuraTenshi12 (_thanks for reading those whole bunch of chapters and reviewing. Haha. You reviewholic. lol_), Shina-Sama (_thanks for honestly telling me about the mistakes. it's in that previous chapter specifically, yeah? hm...i need a proofreader. LOL. I'm just so lazy revising. haha_), Yume-dream (_Stevie rocks. aha_), Sora Takenouchi Ishida ( _i love you too ;D haha_) and Jyoura Koumi ( _Belated Christmas & New Year back atcha_)


	17. Picking up the Pieces: Chapter Nine

¤ - ×- ×- ×- × - × - × - × - ×- ×- × - ¤

_Written: 16.o1.o6_

**Dears, it's the last chapter and THEN the epilogue. This chapter is pretty laid back…straight forward and darn too sweet for my liking. I hate sap ;D**

**Special thanks to my proofreader/twin: **Kuroi Black Nightingale. I owe her for slicing all of my idiotic grammar mistakes ;D

¤ - ×- ×- ×- × - × - × - × - ×- ×- × - ¤

**Do You Still Think of Me?**

**PART TWO – Picking up the fragments**

Chapter Nine

By _Flipstahhz_

¤ - ×- ×- ×- × - × - × - × - ×- ×- × - ¤

_And they kissed._

**No**, not Sora and Yamato. The bride and groom of course…

Sora laughed, squinting just to be able to see Taichi light blush. He appeared handsome neatly attired in the typical black blazer, black pants, a white blouse and a beige tie. The colours of his suit matched with the church that was mounted with sunflowers, instead of confetti, just for the special occasion.

Mimi's expression was hard to decipher since her head was covered in the pale-netted veil. Luckily, Mimi's gown had fitted her well when she first tried it on that morning. Sora was relieved to know that she loved the gown. The gown was made of the same material of the bridesmaid dresses and was a bit frilly yet plain at the same time. Sora knew that adding the frilly side to the dress would give Mimi a feminine touch. Mimi looked beautiful.

" Go Tai!" Matt shouted from where he was standing with the other groomsmen. " You the man!"

Next to him, Daisuke hollered. "That's how you do it!"

The priest sent Matt and Daisuke disapproving glares for them to be silent. Jokingly, Taichi bent in for another kiss. Now, the priest couldn't argue with that…the priest visibly let his lips curl and clap with the rest of the crowd who were applauding the newly wedded couple.

Teary eyed, the auburn headed girl couldn't swipe the hefty grin off her face. She had been grinning like a maniac even before the ceremony had commenced. The maid of honour had yet to figure out the day she had been so happy, even if it was for someone else. Who wouldn't be happy if your best friend was going to get married? No…she was now _officially _married.

Mrs. Mimi Ann Tachikawa Kamiya.

She turned to her right. She deciphered that one of the bridesmaids standing alongside her was sniffling. The younger woman had her short brown hair half tied up with a thin circle of small daisies over her head, as if she were wearing a halo. An angel…

She watched the girl sob into her bunch of rumpled tissues in her hands. Sora's eyebrows arched. She was in wonder how her fellow bridesmaid had managed to grasp onto tissues when they were all merely clothed the uniform pale cream silk dress. Even though she was clad in something simple, Hikari Takaishi glowed. Hikari caught Sora's gaze, and looked up at her producing a small simper. It was her brother's wedding day.

Sora was relieved that she wasn't the only one bawling her eyes out. She laughed. Her gaze directed back at her married friends that were walking back down the aisle to exit the church. She then began to make her way to the aisle as well, lifting her gaze to also see Yamato coming from the opposite direction.

The best man winked at her as they looped arms, also walking down the aisle after their best friends. She took a deep breath, inhaling the whiffs of cologne that Yamato had been wearing. He definitely had more on than usual with the addition of his normally untamable tousled hair actually looked tamed down for _once._

Even though she could not see it, she could feel a quirk of a smirk forming on her partner's face. She frowned.

" Smile Sora," he said. " You should never be frowning when you walk down this aisle."

She stared up at him, eyes locking into his blue orbs. " And why is that?"

In unison, they continued to pace down a couple of steps, avoiding the rest of the congregation there and only focusing on each other. She noticed his smirk turning into a careless ruptured beam.

" Because the next time we walk down this aisle…" he paused, absorbing Sora's curiousness and chuckling to himself. She prodded him with her elbow, but he didn't wince. He repeated, " The next time we walk down this aisle, it will be on our wedding day."

She rolled her eyes. She didn't understand Yamato. He was the combination of being pessimistic, idiotic, sweet, charming and conceited. But that's what made him, _him_. And he loved the strange package. He knew her well. He hadn't changed…

Sora snorted.

" The more you do that, the more womanly you become," Yamato jested. Then his tone became softer, whispering. " By the way, you do look gorgeous today."

" Stop trying to score with me," she said, attempting to conceal her cheeks from turning a flushed shade of red. " And what makes you think that I want to marry _you_?"

They had presently walked out of the church and were now being showered with the sun's rays of light. A heavenly day it was. The weather was perfect. Perfect for Mimi and Tai…

He pointed at the sky, speaking, "Because God is telling us to. It's a sign." He planted a kiss on her forehead.

As ridiculous as it sounded, Sora sort of believed him and his sweet talk. Sora had thought that after primary school she would never be given the chance to be with or even _see_ Yamato again. She was obviously wrong. They had had so many encounters over the years, and having the final encounter at Tamachi supermarket was enough for hell to let lose.

" _Sistahh Sorahhh_!"

Suddenly, she was propelled from Yamato's grasp as she felt a teeny body jump onto her, small arms ringing around her waist. She looked down and couldn't help but giggle.

" Don't steal my girlfriend, Steven," Yamato pretended to look unimpressed with his nephew. That was when he attacked the ring bearer, submerging him with his tickling skills. The little boy bubbled in cackles of high-pitched laughter, running off from his bullying uncle.

" When he's older, this little guy is going to be a girl magnet by the way he's going," Sora remarked. " He'll probably beat you with his good looks."

" So you admit I have good looks," Yamato gave another wink.

" No…girls only chased after you because you could sing deranged lyrics while strumming a guitar," Sora sniggered.

" That hurts," the blond headed man placed his hands over his heart.

" What….do you want me to kiss you all better?"

He stopped faking. " Sure, go ahead."

" Well…" Sora drawled, eyelashes fluttering. " I would...but it seems you are all better now."

" So," he folded his arms, raising his head cockily. " I don't mind kissing _you_ all better."

" But I'm feeling fine," she contorted.

" I'll make you feel _better_ than fine."

Before she could respond, his eyelids shut tight, blocking his crystal blue eyes that had been staring over her. The next thing she knew, his mouth was engaged with hers, his hands ripping down her silky well-curved frame. Auburn locks blended with a blond mess of hair in the wind. They were usually settled in public, but this time they couldn't let their passion be contained. Sora Takenouchi was in love…she didn't care anymore what people thought. Hell, the whole world could see her making out with Yamato Ishida for all she cared.

" And thus, Sora and my brother steal the light from Tai and Mimi," TK reported, shaking his head. " I advise you to not make out in public, it is highly inappropriate considering it is someone else's wedding day."

Kari piped in, holding hands with her husband, the other hand occupied with Steven's. " I add to that. Don't steal your best friend's light."

" I told you, mommy! They were doing naughty stuff!"

" Dibby-dobber," Yamato stuck his tongue out as Steven.

Sora stepped on his foot, with her heels, mind you. " Stop acting childish."

Yamato stuck his tongue at her.

" I'm going to see Mimi," Sora declared, but she saw Yamato trailing her. "You're not coming, I'm only seeing her."

" I'm going to see Tai," the man chuckled. Wherever Mimi was, Tai would be there of course.

Sora let out a frustrated sigh and jammed away from the four.

" Gotta go," Yamato snickered as he went after her. " Catch you guys later."

" They're definitely together," Kari let go of Takeru's hand and opened her palm out to him. " And you said they wouldn't be. You said that they were lying just so that Mimi and Tai would get married."

TK waved his hands about, " Hey…I was just assuming. I thought they'd never get their act together! How were you so sure anyway?"

" Stevie never lies," she stated. She still had her palm out. " Cough it up, TK!"

" Fine…whatever," TK rolled his eyes, manly pride shattered. " I'll give you the money later."

" You'd better, Mr. Takaishi."

Steven jumped up and down. " I want money too!"

" Dear, you're too young for bets," Kari laughed. TK was unsure whether his wife was laughing at him for losing the bet, or at their son. Yamato's younger brother shrugged. Women were strange individuals.

¤ - ×- ×- ×- × - × - × - × - ×- ×- × - ¤

He hadn't felt this close to 'at peace' in a long time. The reception's atmosphere was energizing, mingled with people and filled with sunflowers and golden balloons blossoming almost everywhere he would turn. He fiddled with the knife and fork clutched in his hands, noticing that the handles were a pale pink and also observing that the plates were the same shade of pink. Mimi's touches, he grinned.

Even though he was a male, he was man enough to accept and admit that the reception where the party was held at was exquisitely spectacular. The crystal chandeliers draped down from the ceiling above the guests, shimmering sparkles all around the fancy formal wedding. Chattering people and vivacity music sounded.

The doors burst open to reveal Mimi and Tai making their grand entrance. Everyone cheered, whistled, yelped and clapped. Yamato was about to bellow for his best friend, but decided not to when he felt his partner's eyes leering at him menacingly. He chuckled to himself. The majority of the people were seated down when the main meal arrived. The table where Sora and he were seated was filled with strangers so they only had each other for support.

Sora's voice emerged into his thoughts. " Swap?"

He gazed from his plate of fish and salad to her slice of lasagna that stood their untouched. He stared at her plate longingly, but he was irked by her sudden generosity.

" Why? Are you on a diet?"

" Yeah," Sora said tersely.

" You shouldn't go on a diet. If you go on a diet, you could die," Matt pointed out, then chuckled at his own personal joke. " Diet…die? Get it? Haha…"

She raised an eyebrow. " You're lame. So…trade? Your salad looks good."

He nodded, instantly switching the plates around, digging into the pasta. He never did like rabbit food, he didn't understand why Sora found salad so appealing. Yamato accomplished devouring his meal before any other on the table they were sitting at. He sneakily glimpsed at her.

Her face flickered under the candlelight. Though, he still could notice her eyes scrutinizing at her plate of food, as she munched on the lettuce. Her auburn streaks of hair was permed for the day and she had applied light make up on her face as well. Yamato had loved her for her personality…and her looks were a plus. She was alluring…she could easily pass as the woman getting married. He laughed to no other but himself.

" What?" she caught had him staring.

" You've bewitched me," he accused.

" How so?" she munched on a slice of tomato.

" With your beauty."

She laughed, eyes twinkling. " Trust you, Matt. Trust you to come up with twenty-five pick up lines in one day."

" How can I pick you up, when you're already my girlfriend? That doesn't make sense."

" Fine…well…you've been falsely complimenting me the whole day."

" But I'm merely telling the truth!" he exclaimed.

" Yeah right, whatever," her lips pursed.

He shoveled closer to Sora. Ensnaring her off guard, he carefully held onto her chin, tilting her head towards him.

" And _why_ would I lie?"

She didn't take him seriously, " You're so corny Matt!"

" You don't need to go on a diet, too." He could easily read her like a book.

" It's for the company label…I need to look good-"

" You look fine."

" But-" she was cut off when he positioned his thumb under her chin, stopping her jaw from opening.

" You listen to me, you've got no choice anyway," Matt smiled. " You be a good little girl and tell the company to screw themselves if they have issues with the way you look. And if you get fired? There's a vacant music teacher's assistant spot available at Tamachi Grammar…so we could work together and live happily ever after! Okay, I was just kidding."

He let go of her.

" You talk too much," she said, rubbing her jaw and turning back to slicing her fish in perfect pieces as if she were giving surgery to it.

" Guess I'm in the mood," he shrugged, leaning back onto his comfortable chair as he looked around tediously. " You should lighten up, you know? No need to hold your guard around me!"

" Yeah,I know," Sora confessed. " It's just…well…I've always had my guard up for so long…I'm not really used to this whole dating thing…and sharing burdens…"

" It's easier when someone helps carry your burdens with you."

She nodded quietly, turning her head back to her plate.

From what he could see Tai and Mimi were roaming around the place taking random pictures with their guest. Currently, they were only a couple of tables away before Sora and he would gain the opportunity to take photographs with them.

Within minutes, Tai and Mimi were crashing at their table. Yamato leapt off his chair and gave the groom a good old hard pat on the back, while Sora was enveloping Mimi in a buckling tight embrace.

" Mrs. Mimi Kamiya!" Sora jeered. " You look so beautiful, _Meems!"_

" Yeah, man," Matt played along. " Tai, you look hot as well."

" Why thank you," Tai winked.

" Yamato Ishida! Don't steal my husband," Mimi said in a serious monotone that one had to perceive closely that she was only ridicule.

" Gather up, now!" Hikari ordered, waving her hands about to draw attention to her. When she got the acquired awareness she pulled her camera out of her clutch bag and held it up. " On the count of three."

" Hold up!" Yamato announced. " We should have a proper pose."

" We look fine," Sora said. Glancing around at all their stances. The bride and groom were in the middle, and Sora and he were on either side of them. A perfect photo, or so she had thought…

Mimi and Tai looked at Yamato questioningly. Tai spoke up, " Matt…have you already gotten yourself drunk?"

" Just listen to me, Tai," the blond haired man said. " Put your arms out, like you're carrying something."

Still looking at his best man as if he had finally cracked it, Taichi still followed his instructions. Mimi screamed when she abruptly felt herself being hoisted in the air into Taichi's arms.

" See?" Matt said boastfully.

" That you're an idiot, then yes," a smirk formed on the corner of Sora's mouth as she stared at the couple that was blushing.

" Now that looks _way _better," Kari giggled, agreeing with Yamato.

Sora gave in. " Fine…they look cute."

Tai gasped, " Mimi's getting hard to carry…cut your petty flirting, both of you, and take the darn photo sis!"

After taking various snapshots, Kari as well as her brother and new sister-in-law departed. Yamato turned back to Sora. She was _still_ eating her main course.

_Ai-ya-yai…_

" Sor, be right back."

" Mmm," she replied, nibbling on the carrots in the salad as she swallowed down a couple gulps of water. " Go ahead."

He got off his chair, pacing around the venue. The vibe was lively and full of happiness…yet he found himself a bit bored. He began to question himself whether he should have waited for Sora to finish her meal. He pushed the thought aside and began to walk about. He couldn't be around Sora all the time. He'd been with her for almost five days straight, catching up and having a jovial time. Each of them needed their own space for themselves to reflect. If he always sided with her, it would be like he was a father in a strangled overprotective relationship. No, he didn't want that at all.

His blue eyes steadied onto the dance floor thronged with guests' bopping to the music. Even though he thought about 'personal space' between Sora and him, there was no way in hell he was going to let the opportunity pass. During some part of the evening he would dance with her – there was no doubt about it. He found himself next to the bar. Cordially, he asked the bartender for a drink.

As he waited for his drink to brew, someone sat next to him.

" Congrats with Sora," the man held out his glass of champagne, taking a sip.

" Thanks Kent," Yamato said with gratitude at the ex-keyboard player of the Teenage Wolves. He ran his hands through his tousled blond hair. No matter how hard he had to keep it in place, it always managed to become messy again. A question lurked in his mind.

" What's up, Matt?"

" I …I should be asking the same question," he divulged, tone filled with regret. " I haven't been a great friend, have I?"

" Matt…I've always known you were nursing a broken heart, you had your reasons back in high school for being all distant. If I weren't your friend…I wouldn't have noticed it," Kent said incisively. Matt retrieved his drink from the bartender, staring down at the liquid.

" But I wasn't there for you at times -."

" Stop beating yourself up," Kent chuckled. " You're always doin' that. It's a bad habit you know?"

" I guess," he replied. His eyes centered into Kent's green ones. " I heard…"

" What?"

" I heard that you were going back overseas."

Kent grinned goofily. " Ever since…ever since I went overseas…I met this girl…"

Yamato shook his head, a smile forming on his face as well as he took a swig from his drinking glass. " Go on."

" It just was a one time thing, you know? It was as if I'd never meet her again, I knew I'd get over her. But…when I came back to Odaiba, I couldn't stop thinking about her."

Yes, Yamato knew that feeling all to well.

" And…I guess you were my inspiration…to assist me to decide to go back…to go back to her."

" Me? An _inspiration_?" Yamato almost choked on his drink.

" Well…you finally got what you wanted. After all this time waiting, you finally got Sora. It just proves miracles do happen…and you're the living evidence," Kent bared a grin, displaying his straight teeth.

Silence enchanted over them as the music engulfed them. Kent spoke up again, getting on track with their conversation again.

" You know, even though he had the crapest lyrics back in the days," Kent's eyes twinkled. " I'm pretty sure we can beat those people performing right now, even if we're lacking two band members. What do you say, Mr. Heart Throb of the Teenage Wolves? We can kick their asses - as a tribute to us!"

" Kent, there is _no way_-"

Yamato never got the chance to hold back his friend, as he watched him dash onto the stage besides the dance floor, opposite of the room where they had been sitting. Above the crowds of people, he could make out Kent's head nodding up and down – negotiating with the lead singer of the band that was playing. The music died off, and the next thing he knew was Kent's voice flowing the whole venue.

" Good evenin' everybody! Please get your puny dancing buttocks off the dance floor!"

Yamato laughed. Kent was always good at entertaining a crowd because his speeches were always likable.

" Well…we're all gathered here to celebrate the Mr. and Mrs. Kamiya…and well, my friend and I are going to dedicate a bit of somethin' to this couple!"

People cheered.

" Could…could Mrs. Mimi Tachikawa Kamiya and Mr. Taichi Kamiya make their way to the dance floor. And also…could my buddy, Yamato Ishida make his way to the stage."

Yamato groaned.

The old bartender chuckled, " I think they're calling for you."

He nodded, " Look after my drink, will ya?"

Yamato strode to the stage, meeting Kent again. He arched an eyebrow. " So…what song did you want me to sing?"

Kent gave a weak smile, looking up at him nervously. " Well…I didn't really decide on that…"

" What!" Yamato's eyes widened. " Are you for real?"

" No…" he paused. " What I mean is…just mention any song that you are willing to sing, and I'll play it on the keyboard for you. Just hurry up and chose a song, damnit Ishida!"

Yamato understood. He almost forgot his envious side to Kent. Kent had the ability to play any song that he knew. Now that was seriously talent. The only person that could probably match with Kent's professional expertise was probably Sora's cousin – Grace.

The audience watched in silent, wondering what was going on… even Mimi and Tai were staring up at them suspiciously.

" So what is it, Matt?"

Yamato took the microphone off his friend and spoke into it. " Well..this is to my best pal – Tai and his new wife! This song is called _Never Felt This Way_ by Brian McKnight. Hope you like it."

As soon as Kent had heard what Matt has spoken, he had immediately seated himself on the keyboard, playing the opening bars to the song. Yamato tilted his head closer to microphone, awaiting the part where he was to come in. And when it came…the old songster began to sing in perfect pitch…

_There will never come a day_

_You'd ever hear me say_

_That I want and need to be without you_

_I want to give my all_

_Baby just hold me, simply control me_

_Cause your arms, they keep away the lonelies_

_When I look into your eyes_

_Then I realize_

_That all I need is you in my life_

_All I need is you in my life_

As he sang out, his eyes lingered on the lone couple dancing lovingly on the dance floor. It appeared that they were so focused on each other that they didn't notice the many heads turning their direction. It was like nothing existed – only their undying love did. Taichi's hand slipped on Mimi's waist as she clasped her hand on his shoulder, dancing gracefully to the music. The perfect couple were finally together. Matt grinned, proud for his best friend. He sang on…

_Cause I've never felt this way about lovin'_

_Never felt so good_

_Never felt this way about lovin'_

_It feels so good_

**Then _she_** **caught his eye…**

_How it takes my breath_

_Starts a burning in my chest_

_Make me weak, when I think about you_

_Makes me want to give my all_

_Life wouldn't mean a thing_

_Not a happy song to sing_

_Just emptiness if I had to live without you_

_When I look into your eyes_

_Then I realize_

_That all I need is you in my life_

_All I need is you in my life_

Instead of being focused on watching and singing to Mimi and Tai, he had caught himself staring at one of the tables. Her traceable face, flickering in the candlelight. He held onto her gaze, captivated. It was clear, now, that he was only singing to her. _Only_ to her…

_Cause I've never felt this way about lovin'_

_Never felt so good_

_Never felt this way about lovin'_

_It feels so good_

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Sora closed her eyes. At least this time, she was beyond certain that he was singing from his heart – unlike when he was the lead singer to the Teenage Wolves…singing meaningful lyrics. The song's rhythm and words penetrated into her mind, intoxicating her heart. His smooth, yet also coarse, voice cried aloud whenever he reached the high notes…but he sang it proficiently. The once loud chattering room had turned quiet, focusing on the wedded couple…but she knew the crowd was _also_ amazed by his talented voice as well. It had been a long time since she had heard him sing…

She opened her brown eyes, gazing back over to him. He had been staring at her all along, a smile plastered on his lips.

_He had been singing to her…_

She didn't know whether to feel extremely touched or to scream at him to look at Mimi and Tai, whom he had dedicated the song to. But…no words leaked out. She was stunned, sitting still on her chair as her eyes still fastened to his.

"_I love you."_

He saw his lips mimic as soon as the song was completed. She gave a wavered smile. Was this love? Yes, she certainly thought it was…

" Give it up for Matt!" Tai's voice pierced into the microphone, " Hey everyone. Just wanted to say thanks to you all for attending both Meems and my wedding. We're really grateful to all of you. Now…I would like to request if Ms. Sora Takenouchi to get on the dance floor."

Was Tai _kidding_?

Sora didn't think the groom was at all. She carefully got off her chair, straightening her dress and fixing up her loose strands of hair that had fallen over her face.

" C'mon Ms. Takenouchi! Don't need to impress anyone…you've already got Matt!"

The crowd laughed and a furious shade of scarlet pampered her cheeks. Sora abruptly stood next to Mimi on the wooden dance floor. She exchanged beams with Mimi. The band started up, with Kent as their new addition, his fingers climbing up and down the keyboard in a swift fashion.

Soon later, Yamato and Taichi joined them. Only now, there was a crowd of people busting their moves in the dance floor. Sora didn't feel uneasy anymore. She preferred to not dance in front of many surveying eyes.

" And what makes me think I want to dance with you again?" Mimi smirked. " I'm dancing with Sora!"

The white veiled woman clutched onto her best friend's arm and began to dance with her, leaving both Matt and Tai to gaze over them bemused. They all knew that two girls dancing, having a good time, was no problem. And Mimi's whole point was to make Tai and Matt uncomfortable.

Unfortunately, for Mimi, she was wrong.

Just for the sake of it and the current celebrating mood, Tai and Matt played along…jeeringly holding each other in the arms and waltzing to the music.

" Sometimes I don't know whether my husband is straight," Mimi sneered.

" Neither do I, I mean…Matt."

" So," Mimi said in consideration. " If we find out that our boyfriend's – well, now my husband – is cheating…we'd know who they'd be cheating with, true?"

" Oh Meems…that's sickening," Sora collapsed into giggles. " I'll never get sick of your crazed thoughts."

" I'll never get sick of your sensibility," Mimi rolled her eyes, causing Mimi to slap her on the arm.

" Don't harass my wife!" Taichi called from the other side of the dance floor. Sora knew that they were overusing 'my wife' and 'my husband'…hell with it. It was their first night to be officially titled a married couple…and they were going to play with their new pet names for eternity.

It seemed that Tai and Matt had earned themselves a fair lot of attention since whistles and cheering scooted about. Both men were dancing their way back to Sora and Mimi that they were about half a meter away. But their hyperactive mood had changed serious from their facial expressions.

Mimi and Sora could make out their conversation over the music, just barely.

" So you've finally got your girl, and I've got mine," Taichi gave a toothy grin. " Congrats."

" You're the second one to say that tonight."

" I wouldn't be surprised. It's about time the both of you got your acts together!" Tai smiled. " I'm proud for you."

" I am too!" Mimi yelled over.

Tai and Matt turned around, surprised that they had overheard. The song changed. Jestingly, Taichi and Matt were about to kiss each other on the cheeks but Mimi pushed Sora aside and stopped them.

" Dance with me," Mimi stated. " So I cleanse your queerness away."

" And what makes me think that I'm dancing with you again?" Tai smirked at Mimi, playing her game she had pulled off earlier. He walked off and stood next to Sora " I'm going to dance with Sora!"

" For old time sake?" Tai lent her his hand.

" Okay," Sora shrugged, beaming as she watched Matt offer Mimi a dance as well. " I don't think you'll be allowed to dance with another girl from now one, anyway – Mimi would have your head. You'd better not cheat on her, Tai."

He spun her around.

" And what makes you think that? Surely, Sora, you've known me long enough to know I'm trustworthy, kind, loving, charming, handsome -"

" And arrogant," Sora reminded. " Don't forget that."

Tai laughed.

" It's been a long time since I've seen you this happy," he paused. " It's Matt, isn't it?"

" I've finally got what I wanted."

Taichi pushed her on.

" I've finally got what I wanted. I thought I had it all…after getting a promotion as a designer…but when I had everything. I knew I was missing something…no, _someone. _Everything makes sense now," Sora admitted. " He's the only one that makes me happy."

" A match made in heaven. Must I add, a great way to show everyone that he's taken…," Tai said, then bellowed like a commentator, " Sora and Matt's grand entrance in Mimi and Tai's wedding!"

" Mimi and you are the match made in heaven," Sora laughed.

The danced quietly for a while, observing the other pair – Matt was lively twirling Mimi around so many times that she looked as if she were going to lose her balance any second now.

Matt called out to Tai, " Hey…Mimi's falling for me too!"

" She wouldn't be falling for you if you weren't making her dizzy!" Sora perked up, sticking her tongue out childishly. It was like she was living her youth once again. These were the three people she had spent the most time with in her childhood, and it was great that they had reunited at such an occasion.

The song ended.

Sora let go of Tai, watching him take Mimi back in his arms. She yawned.

Her feet were hurting from dancing. Perhaps she would take a seat…

As she was about to leave the dance floor, someone's hands blacked out her vision.

" Playing hard to get?"

" Mr. Ishida, I kindly ask you to refrain your hands to yourself."

He let go, pouting when she turned to face him. " How did you know it was me?"

Sora dodged the question. " I'm not playing hard to get!"

" Then why run off the dance floor like a sissy?" he sniggered.

" Have you ever thought that I'm tired and I need my rest," Sora grumbled, arms folding. " And no…I wasn't playing hard to get. We were just both stuck in between Tai and Mimi's competitiveness. They're like ying and yang put together."

" So are we," he said. " Let's dance."

" _Matttt_," Sora whined. " I'm in no mood to. I'm really tired…"

He took the rejection as a yes, letting his left arm hold onto her waist and his right hand hold onto her left one. Knowing that she wouldn't be able to squeeze out of this one she let her hands fall into position as well, left hand swiping onto his shoulder and tiredly tilting her head on his shoulder as she dreamily stared about the place.

" You're really tired, huh?"

" You don't say," Sora sighed being whiffed with more of his strong cologne.

He muzzled his head into her auburn permed locks of hair. " I love you."

" You're messing my hair," she stated the obvious. " Not that I care."

He faced her. Piercing blue eyes fixed onto hers. Right there, she wanted to melt under his gaze. _She loved him too…_

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Thanks for Reading and Reviewing: **PrincessSakuraTenshi12** (_Oh…the drinking games? LOL. In this chapter I didn't cover it at all. Thanks for reminding me. I may put it in the Epilogue if I find the appropriate moment to_), **Shina-Sama** (_LOL. Don't worry, it's almost finished. Haha ;D_ ), **Kuroi Black Nightingale** (_I think I left a special notice for you at the top of the chapter ;D_), **JyouraKoumi**, **Sora Takenouchi Ishida**, **Yamora Love n Friendship**, **Yurikitsune** (_yes darls, my intention WAS for it to take long. Just never knew it would be this long. LOL_), **rainingOnyourParade** (_gotta love your penname. Yes, I've been to Sydney – 5 years ago. Haha. Are you from there? Thanks for reading this whole fic in one go_!) & **theladyknight **(_Thanks for the double review, darls ;D . In Chp 7, yes…I 'needed' to lighten the mood after I've killed all you people with the angst and drama. In Chp 8…yes…I didn't mean to have the Daisuke/Jun thing happen…I wasn't even about to even add the 'strippers' comment…but…I guess, I needed some of lame repetition humour in it. It means a lot that you, the ultimate Sorato fan, is reading this story. Haha ;D_)

**And I'm not supposed to be replying to reviews ;D Damn it. I can't help it. Haha. **

**I think this was my favourite chapter, ladies and gentlemen! (Probably cause there's no angst. Haha). I'm not accustomed to writing so many raunchy scenes in one chapter, so apologies if you found this really crap. I guess Kent's role in this chapter was somewhat important. ( Kent kicks buttocks!)…and to you guys who have read Officially Missing You…yes this scene is very alike. But I couldn't be helped to make this chapter work out fun ;D Alas, the Epilogue to go. **

**THANKS for reading this story so far! Lots of hearts**

**F l i p s t a h h z**

**Ps. Review please ;D haha**

**IMPORTANT NOTICE TO SORATO FANS:** Since this story has almost concluded, I've made a last minute decision to make a new Sorato after this one. And…I really need all of **YOU** to give me your opinions on how you 'want' Yamato to be like in the story. (eg. Music career wise). To **VOTE** in the poll, please go to my site **www . flipstahhz . cjb . net **.

Instructions: _after_ you click on the enter sign, you straightaway are directed into a new page. The poll is on this page in the update section. You can't miss it! THANKS ;D

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	18. Epilogue

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_Written: 25.o1.o6_

**This whole story is in DEDICATION to: **_Jasper M._ Without you, I wouldn't be writing stories in the first place. I still love you…and you'll never know it ;D Do You Still Think of Me? I wonder… (how ironic xX) I'm not sure if I'll ever get over you…but it's hard not thinking about you everyday when it's been years since I've last seen you.

To those who wanted to know the non-fiction of the story – most of the memories in the first part of this story were true (excluding Sora & Matt joining same high schools and becoming friends). From the whole, childhood tag to the 'You're not my Valentine' thing…they were all true happenings so I urge you to **PLEASE** not steal.

To the people who may know my true identity and blab this out, please don't. I prefer this to be kept a secret…this story is _me…_

Thanks for Reading and Reviewing: **Sora Takenouchi Ishida, JyouraKoumi, PrincessSakuraTenshi12 **_(Everyone's gotta love Steven. Haha. You see a little glimpse, in this epilogue, what happened with the whole 'drinking games' thing. LOL)_**, Crazy Sardines **_(haha! I didn't know you were still reading this. LOL) **&**_ **rainingOnyourParade **_(Um. Don't think I'm doing Sora and Matt getting married…though – hint, hint – the marriage thing is sort of focused on my new Sorato. Thanks for voting in the poll. Feel free to vote again! haha)_

**My reviewers have seized. Woe is me. Oh well! LOL. No matter what, I was going to end this story anyway. ;D**

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**Do You Still Think of Me?**

Epilogue

By _Flipstahhz_

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" It has been a wonderful year," the man spoke into the microphone as his eyes dashed over all the senior students seated in allocated rows before him. " A year full of grief, stress, happiness, thrills, experiences, learning, failures and accomplishments. Summing it all up, we all managed to stay and fight till the very end. And now that it's over…it's been a fast year."

In the audience, various heads nodded up and down agreeing with the Principal of Tamachi Grammar School. The Principal was tired and overwhelmed practically saying the same speech over and over again to the students, but it had to be done. They needed his words of guidance. He was the principal, and he held a strong, firm position. His eyes glanced at the list of notes he had to mention to the school.

" To all you, I hope you have a great holiday and enjoy your summer vacation. To the year elevens – study hard! You've got a big year ahead of you, your final one to be precise! Sure, go have fun, party and whatever you teenagers do these days…just remember that you have to come back all settled when you begin school next year. Your teachers have given you holiday homework," he paused when he heard many pupils groan, " to keep you in tack."

His gray eyes stumbled onto the graduation class, sitting right in front of him. He grinned with pride. " To the year twelve's. I hope you have a great future! Remember what school you are from and remember your memories you have shared with us. Your exams are over, your school life is over…follow your dreams, and I know they will work out as you want!"

The principal wasn't a fool to notice that half of the student population was falling asleep considering that he wasn't referring to them. He gave one last glance at the bottom of the list he was about to talk about. He frowned. He knew that this would grab everyone's attention…

" And lastly, but not least, to Mr. Y. Ishida. Mr. Ishida has been teaching here for almost two full years," he could feel eyes leering up at him in wonder. " Mr. Ishida…or Mr. I, as some of you like to refer him as, will be on leave for two years."

Chatter sparked as the principal watched many of his students turn and talk amongst themselves, engaged in private conversations. He coughed into the microphone, hoping to direct the surveillance back at him. " I would like Mr. Ishida to come up to the stage."

Yamato Ishida rose from his seat, stumbling up the steps as he finally reached his destination. The principal paced away from the microphone, taking a seat on one of the chairs on the stage. Yamato's azure blue eyes swallowed in the whole school's senior population staring up at him. He caught his guest's – Sora Takenouchi's – gaze. She gave him an encouraging smile. It was enough for him to begin to address the school.

" Hey guys! How's it going? How are you all? Betcha you're all happy and ecstatic since it's your last day before holidays," Yamato smirked. He stuffed his paper with his speech into his pocket. He didn't need to be a formal lecturer talking to his students. His students were like his own friends. There was no need for formalities.

" We're cool, Mr. I! What's up with you?" one of his students yelled out from the crowd. Yamato's lips twitched.

" I am well, Mr. Ashton," he winked. He began to continue speaking, " As your principal has said, it's been a hell of a year. I've taught almost three quarters of you guys, and now you're all growing up! I remember when I was your age…actually stuff that, I won't talk about my life at school, 'cause I'll probably bore you all."

" Why are you leaving?" some random person shot up the remark from the crowd.

Many people peered at him, curiously waiting the reason why the music teacher was leaving.

" The reason?" he chuckled into the microphone, his gaze shifting back to Sora who was still beaming up at him. " Let's just say I need to catch up on something…or I should say _someone…_"

He remembered he was talking to a live audience. He chortled once again. " Well…I'm only on leave for two years. I'll come visit you all once in a while; I'm not going to completely abandon my favourite students! When I come back, I may even be teaching your younger brothers or sisters, so you'll know where to find me. I've left you all a meditation disc for each one of you guys so that you will all remember to have time to relax and not get stressed over everyday life."

Some of the people in his class laughed. The mediation music was a sort of a personal joke between the year eleven classes and him.

" Since many of you are graduating today, or next year….I just wanted to distinctively wish you all the best in the future career-wisely. Follow your heart in what you really want to do. Don't be an accountant, a doctor, a nurse or anything else if you don't want to _really_ be one. Aim high. Do what you want to be doing," he said. At that moment, he felt like an inspirational talker. " But…don't be an idiot."

Yamato could feel the principal giving him a warning glare. Yamato nodded, silently apologizing for saying a profane 'word' in front of the uniform clad pupils.

" As in idiot what I really meant is that you know what your talents are," he said. " So use them at the best of your abilities. For instance, if your dream is to be a singer but you know you have a voice that sounds like nails on blackboards…I suggest you don't follow up that insane career. But then again…you may be famous if you give it a go…but please, students, be practical in what you want to do. If you know what you are good at and are willing to give it your all, then go for it!"

He pointed at a specific woman with long auburn locks, causing everyone to stare at whom he was pointing at.

" She…Ms. Takenouchi is an example of that. She was talented in designing…and she got there after a whole lot of hard work. The road may be bumpy, but the wait is really worth it," he smiled. The last sentence he spoke seemed to have two meanings.

Yes…it was worth it…it was worth waiting for her…waiting for him to finally pluck up the courage. All in all, it was worth it.

Sora sunk in her seat, cheeks flaming red. He decided it was time to change the route of the attention to her cousin.

" Before I leave, with my final words of goodbye," Yamato turned to Grace. " I just wanted to inform my year eleven music class, as well as all the year elevens…and thought that you'd like to know that Ms. Grace will be also leaving Tamachi Grammar."

He made sure to look over Grace's friends' reactions, but couldn't help but look at Jeremy as well. The boy seemed really distraught. Yamato chuckled to himself.

" Ah … I see," he spoke into the microphone yet again, " I see Grace hasn't told you…I think she didn't want to see all of you worried and distressed about her leaving."

Grace was glaring daggers at her teacher angrily. It was her turn for her face to turn into a tomato.

" I don't think she wants me to tell you this, but I'm going to say it anyway," the blond headed man gave a mischievous simper. " Grace got a music scholarship into one of the best universities and has also been offered a position in Tamachi's Orchestra. Congratulations to her!"

People cheered and whooped. Her friends sitting besides her gave her hard pats on the back as Grace's eyes began to well in tears. She was going to miss her friends, Yamato thought.

Minutes later, the audience cheered again, clapping goodbye and farewell to their much loved music teacher after he left them with his last words.

" And I hope you all get through the new phases in your life. Good luck for the future, and take care!"

He strutted down the stairs carefully, as he watched the students file from the hall. He expected Grace to be there, to see him off, but he was wrong. Other teachers gave him safe blessings and farewells and the principal gave him a bottle of red wine as a token of his service for the school.

Someone tapped him on the shoulder. He spun around to see one of his students standing nervously before him.

" Sir?"

" Yes Jeremy," he responded.

" Is Grace really leaving?"

He arched an eyebrow.

Now Yamato wanted to shake the boy, but then again, he was scared that he would be sued abuse for harassing the young adolescent.

" Boy, go after her! What are you still doing standing around when she could be long gone? If you care for her, you should be running to her like there's no tomorrow!"

" Mr. I, you knew?"

" Hell!" he exclaimed, " It was darn obvious! Two opposite sex rivals are usually lovers, anyway!"

" Okay then," Jeremy stared at his teacher weirdly.

" What are you still doing standing here," he barked. Yamato pushed him, " **GO**!"

The hall was empty now. Sora stood there, waiting for him. He gave one of his grins, which he only supplied for her, and placed an arm around her shoulder as they walked out of the building.

" You embarrassed Grace and I, you know?"

" As intended," he remarked.

" Your speech was something, really inspirational for the kids. I never knew that many students looked up to you," she laughed.

" Neither did I," he lied. He handed her the bottle of red wine. " You can have it, since you're lacking red wine in your apartment."

She laughed again, accepting it in gratitude. " Thanks."

They walked around the prestigious school, observing their peaceful surroundings. It was like walking in their own memories. After all, both Sora and Matt had met at school. They owed school a lot…even though it did sound quite strange.

" Just years ago, we were in this situation too…graduating and all," she said reminiscently. " It's peculiar how everyone and everything is drifting by so quickly. It's like everything is in transit."

" Everything _is_ in transit," he corrected. He let her carry on her talk. He had been tired from conducting the 'inspirational' speech, anyway.

" Time goes by really fast. Mimi and Tai are still on their honeymoon. Grace is leaving Tamachi Grammar …"

She began listing many changes, causing him to wander into his own train of thoughts. He began thinking of the phone call he had gotten from Kent, a few days back. Kent's story was interesting. As soon as Kent went back to America, he had found his 'woman' and they dated for a couple of weeks; then he proposed to her. Surprisingly, Yamato would become a best man for yet another wedding. Yamato wasn't sure whether Kent was insane to propose straight away, or whether they were madly in love with each other. He was pretty sure it was the latter of the options.

" You're in your own world again, Yamato."

He smiled. " My world wouldn't exist if you weren't in it."

She chortled. These days, Sora was brighter than she ever was. She was now laughing on a daily basis. " You want to leave now? You promised you'd shout me dinner, you know?"

" Women were created just as an excuse to empty a man's wallet."

" No," she stuck her tongue out childishly. " Women were created in order for more humans to be bred. Without women there would be no people…including men."

" Being scientific now?" Yamato played along. " Well…without men, there would be no sperm. So women need men in order to survive."

" So what? Women are the cooks. Without women, men would die from starvation."

" Okay, fine…fine!" Yamato laughed at her stubbornness. " It's a draw. Without men, there would be no women. Without women, there would be no men."

" It's settled then. So, are we leaving?" she pulled his arm, prepared to walk to the car park.

" Wait," he said, staring at the building. " Just one more look around."

Sora strode next to them as they strolled around Tamachi Grammar School. He felt like he was on yard duty, only the place was almost empty now because the majority of the students had excitedly left for home because their summer break had finally arrived.

" Matt!" Sora nudged her head towards a bush. " There…there's something there!"

Yamato chuckled. Out of all the places in the school, this specific 'bush' was well known as the top making out spot. Numerous times had Yamato _accidentally _found many couples there. He smirked. Maybe it was the last time he'd do so.

He pushed Sora besides him as they walked behind the bush. There behind it was a girl with auburn coloured hair and another boy, their lips fully ruptured with each other. The pair broke when they saw the two adults towering over them.

" Oh my…this is really humiliating," the younger girl spoke up, hitting herself on her head. " Can you please go away before all my pride shatters away? Cuz and Mr. I?"

Sora gaped. Yamato grinned. He crouched down next to the appalled boy and shook Jeremy's hand, " Congratulations. I see you finally confessed."

Sora hit Yamato on the back of his head.

" This is so embarrassing," Grace yelped.

" We're going," Sora said, dragging Yamato with her. " Give them their own space, Yamato. That was rude to intrude."

He shrugged, " I guess I'm used to it. During patrol on yard duty, I usually checked there to fork out detentions. It's an old habit."

" It's an old humiliating habit. Just imagine all those kids not being able to look you in the eye again."

" I was doing my job," Yamato snickered.

" You're evil."

" Perhaps I am."

" Young love," Sora sighed. " Grace could of at least told me that she was with some one."

" Trust me, she wasn't until today."

" And what are you, Cupid?"

" Whatever you want me to be, baby," Yamato winked flirtatiously. He held her hand as they encircled the school's well-known fountain. Water streamed down the water feature as both Yamato and Sora stared at it.

" So…when was your first kiss?" Sora questioned, the memory of her cousin and her cousin's lover was still afresh in her memory.

" Second year high school. I was drunk," he said simply. " You?"

" You."

" Pardon?"

" _With you_," she said.

Yamato stared at her. She had waited so long…just for him…while at times he had been such a moron. He didn't understand, out of all people, she had chosen him. Not that he was complaining or anything…

" How about lately, you kissed anyone lately?" Sora queried. " You know, I have the right to know. In a successful relationship, being truthful is one of the main elements."

The blond haired man had no idea where she had gotten the 'successful relationship' tips from, but he still decided to answer, nose wrinkling up in disgust. " Tai's bachelor party. We were drunk. I kissed the groom."

" You kissed Tai?" Sora made a shocked face. " Mimi's not going to be happy about that. I'm beginning to again question whether Tai and you are straight or not."

" Hey, I know it's disgusting. I was completely grossed out when TK told me too," Yamato said. " It's not like I enjoyed it. When I found out I was in the toilet vomiting an hour before the wedding."

" No wonder you put more cologne on," Sora recalled.

" Glad you noticed," Yamato said, sitting down on a nearby bench. He pulled her down so she could be sitting next to him.

" I notice everything about you, Matt," she said, her glossed lips curling impishly.

She slid onto his lap. Yamato's posture automatically sat up straight as he felt her hands run down his blond mane. Unable to restrain himself (also since they were on school grounds), Yamato stared into her chocolate brown eyes lovingly. He also then began to let his hands amble through her long fiery locks of hair. Their eyes were still locked upon each other.

" _I love you…_"

Her whisper chilled him. His throat twisted and his stomach jolted into knots. He couldn't speak…he was utterly speechless. That was the first time she had said it to him, and hell…it took such a toll on him just to hear the words evading her mouth. She had complete control over him, and she knew it. Everything he had ever wanted - was there. There right in front of him.

" So do I."

His lips perched up and down her bare neck as she quietly gasped. She held his head from kissing her neck and let her lips clasp onto his. The long wait was over. They were finally together and _nothing_ was going to conclude them from being together ever again.

" Ewww!"

They stopped.

_Not really…_

" Mr. I! That's like, extremely retching!" about five of Yamato's students stared at him.

Being a teacher always had its consequences…

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_I'm sitting here_

_Thinking bout_

_How I'm gon-na do without_

_You around, In my life, _

_and how am I_

_I gon' get by_

_I ain't got no days_

_Just lonely nights_

_You want the truth_

_Well girl I'm not alright_

_Feel out of place, and out of time_

_I think I'm gonna lose my mind_

_So tell me how you feel (I'm lonely)_

_Are you for real (so lonely)_

**_Do you still think of me?_**

_(I think of you)_

_Baby still (You only)_

_Do you dream of me at night_

_(seems like I dream you all the time)_

_Sooo, ooh ooh ooh ooh_

_oh let me tell you how It feels _

_(Its like everyday I die)_

_Wish I was dreaming but Its real_

_(when I open up my eyes)_

_oh Let me tell you how It feels _

_(and don't see your pretty face)_

_I think that I will never love again_

_I miss your face_

_I miss your kiss_

_I even miss the arguments_

_That we would have, from time to time_

_I miss you standing by my side_

_I'm dying here, It's clear to see_

_There ain't no you, God knows there ain't no me_

_Don't wanna live, I wanna die_

_If I cant have you In my life_

_So tell me how you feel (I'm lonely)_

_Are you for real (so lonely)_

**_Do you still think of me?_**

_(I think of you)_

_Baby still (You only)_

_Do you dream of me at night _

_(like I dream of you all the time, so lo-nely)_

_Oh let me tell you how _

_It feels (Its like everyday I die)_

_Wish I was dreaming but _

_It's real (when I open up my eyes)_

_oh Let me tell you how It feels _

_(and I don't see your pretty face)_

_I think that I will never love again…_

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**OhmyGOLLY! I can't believe this is over oO. That was crazy! Well…THANKS to all of you guys who have read this story. I hope you all enjoyed it to the very end. Some parts, I'm not quite happy with it. Though, overall I'm glad. Again, another reminder to the people who haven't voted for which outcome they want for Yamato in my new Sorato – PLEASE vote on my site! (to get to my site, simply click on my profile for details). Take care!**

**Heart **

**F l i p s t a h h z**

**Song used: **' The Loneliness' _by _Babyface (this was the song where I got the title of this story from. It's a beautiful and depressing song that had inspired me to write this story. It's a **must** to have on your song list)

**THANKS TO: **Kuroi Black Nightingale my personal editor and twin ;D I heart you like crazy! Haha xX

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